Surviving Sang
by CallaBunny
Summary: Sang Sorenson entered the boys' lives in a whirlwind. She's brought them joy, innocence, kindness, a fair amount of lustful thoughts, and more than enough trouble. As the mission at Ashley Waters winds down, Sang and the boys start a new adventure. One where Sang is determined to get into the Academy, and the boys are determined get her.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Kota's POV

It had been a long week.

I'd spent two full nights on stakeouts, one evening invading a school principal's office, and one night meeting with Mr. B to discuss our plans going forward.

If the lack of sleep wasn't exhausting enough, most of my waking hours were spent trying to contain an incredibly enthusiastic little blonde girl who could outshine the sun on her worst day.

Hendricks was caught and put away on Tuesday for his insurance scam. It'd taken a few months, but we'd finally found proof that he had an inside man at the insurance company that was assisting both him and the football coach. They'd inflated the football roster, told the school board there were 120 players on the team so they'd write a big check, then the accountant at the insurance company would only account for 80 players and siphon the rest of the check.

It wasn't even that much money being scammed, because student athletic insurance isn't expensive, so Hendricks was also getting his hands on the athletic supplies.

I'm no sadist, but it felt good to watch the desperation on his face as he was manhandled into the cop car.

Another achievement was McCoy being taken care of outside the law. We couldn't risk Sang's identity getting out if charges were pressed against him, so the Academy stepped in. McCoy would do whatever possible to get back at us, so we had to pay up ten favors to get him taken care of. It was a good thing my team had just finished this job, or we wouldn't have been able to afford it.

Sang had taken all of these events exceedingly well and has spent the majority of her time bouncing around in excitement or getting into trouble with Luke and Gabe. Apparently, completing this mission for Luke meant that it was time for a prank-fest. The only problem was that he recruited Sang to be his partner-in-crime this time. In the past, we could yell or hit him for his annoying antics, but with Sang we had to pretend to be entertained by his diabolical torture.

They had put blue Koolaid in my showerhead on Wednesday, which I was still a little miffed about. Luke added something to the mixture which made it completely impossible for me to wash out, even after fifteen showers. Gabriel had to scrub some baking soda concoction into it first, which he conveniently couldn't get a hold of until yesterday. If Sang hadn't started giggling with happiness the moment she saw my new appearance, I would've given them both an hour.

I guess it didn't hurt that she also said blue looked good on me before attacking me with her lips in one of the most passionate kisses we've shared yet, either.

Mr. Blackbourne surprised us all when he told Sang we could do anything she wanted to celebrate the mission being completed. _Anything._ It wasn't like Mr. Blackbourne to leave options open like that. Heck, she could've chosen to paint his toenails or get a puppy.

Gabe jumped in right away saying we could go to a club. Luke suggested going to SkyZone and the Circus. Victor said we could go to Italy for a week.

And what did my Ten choose, with the biggest smile on her face beaming back at all of us?

The park.

She wanted to go to the park.

This little girl has the entire world open to her, no strings, and she chooses to go to the park.

More specifically, Ten wanted to spend the day at the park with _all_ of us, playing games and barbecuing.

Which is how I found myself standing against a tree, waiting for Nathan to grab his frisbee from the car and watching my family enjoy a day in the sun. Mr. B and Dr. Green were playing a game of chess next to me under the tree. I can't remember the last time I'd seen Mr. B do something athletic that wasn't Academy related, so I shouldn't be surprised that he wasn't joining Nathan and I with frisbee. North and Silas were throwing a football a dozen feet away from the tree. Victor, Gabe, and Luke were chasing Sang all over the playground. She'd spend about a minute at each area before running off for something new. I looked over to see her climbing on _top_ of the monkey bars, something I'm sure Luke talked her into, and I had to tear my gaze away before my blood pressure rose.

I trusted the other boys to not let her get hurt, but that didn't stop me from counting to twenty.

Another part of me, the under-sexed sixteen year old boy that my brothers didn't think actually exists, would've preferred to run over there and see if I could get a good look at what's underneath Sang's short, pink skirt. I forced myself to count instead.

We may have all been "dating" Sang for a few months now, but I hadn't gotten anywhere near being underneath her skirt yet. I hadn't even gotten underneath her shirt, which I know some of my other brothers have by the goofy grins they've been wearing lately. We don't really compare notes or anything, but anytime I've gotten even close to going further than kissing with Sang, I completely freeze up.

I love her. I love her more than anything, and I don't want to screw it up. Despite the temptation of what's under her skirt and how much I want to touch all of her, I'd be happy to just kiss her as she lies in my arms for hours. I can have as many perverted thoughts as the next guy, but I don't think I'm ready to go there yet. If it was just Sang and I in a relationship, I'm pretty sure we'd be going at a slow enough pace that Jessica would have grandchildren before we even got to third base.

Technically, she's not even my girlfriend. We've been following Mr. B's instructions of letting Sang follow her heart, and it's been up in the air ever since. Victor took her on a date one night, and that started a domino effect until Sang's schedule was so packed with dates that Mr. B had to give us a monthly limit.

Things were going smoothly until New Years Eve. We had our own sleepover with games, movies, and sparkling grape juice that made Sang took quite a liking to. Sang had a little trouble staying up the entire night, but we were all wide awake when Dr. Green pulled her into a dip and planted a big one on her at midnight.

Two boys ended up with black eyes during the following brawl, and we all had to wake up at seven the next morning to do an hour. It probably wasn't the best foreshadowing to bring in the New Year with punches, jealousy, and Sang crying herself to sleep.

In a way, Dr. Green opened up the door for us to become more comfortable in the relationship. Sang would always sit on our laps around each other, or give us hugs, but now we started openly kissing "hello" and "goodbye" around the group. It wasn't much, but things were definitely progressing. It was a whole new world in private, though. Sang has become more and more confident with kissing, and I know we spend the majority of our alone time snuggled up somewhere together with few words exchanged. I don't know what Silas is teaching her during their alone time, but I don't feel guilty for reaping the benefits.

Mr. B called a family meeting for Wednesday this week to discuss how the dating is going. I have a feeling he wants to make things official, and I don't see anyone disagreeing with that.

He also wanted to make Sang's "transfer" to a new school as official as possible, so we're all are staying at Ashley Waters for one more week.

One more week not being able to show her affection in public. One week watching her only be able to kiss Silas. One week hiding the adoration I feel for her shining through my eyes.

It was going to be the longest week of my life.

Sang's POV

My boys.

Standing on top of the slide, I felt like a queen overlooking her kingdom.

I knew there'd been a smile plastered on my face all morning, and I might have been unable to sleep last night because I was so excited, but I couldn't care less because I had a full day with all of my boys.

Besides, I had an extra frappuccino this morning to make up for the lack of sleep. I expected Nathan and Kota to be just as exhausted from all the times I woke them up because my body was vibrating with excited giggles, but those Academy boys acted as if they'd been sleeping for days.

Not fair.

As Gabriel continuously poked my back, I turned to look at him over my shoulder before sticking my tongue out and giving the tip of his nose a quick lick. Abruptly pulling away and sitting down before he could grab me to administer his own territorial lick, I slid down to the sound of his outraged cry.

Spotting Victor and Luke, I ran over to join them at the monkey bars before Gabriel could catch up..

I don't remember ever being this happy.


	2. Chapter One: The Tickle Monster

The Tickle Monster

 **A/N: I'm having a lot of trouble deciding when to begin my timeline. Around Thanksgiving? Skip to January? In the Spring? Since I'm still stumped and working on that, let's just start out at the park and worry about silly things like the plot later, yeah? Edit: Oh wow, since I chose the outdoors for this chapter, I have to worry about things like WEATHER. Whatever; it's Spring.**

"I'm king of the world!" Luke yelled, beating both fists upon his chest as he stood atop the monkey bars.

"Luke, sit down!" I ordered, biting my lip to fight the anxiety building up inside of me. These Academy boys were daredevils, but I never considered them suicidal.

"I'm fine, Cupcake," Luke smirked as he had the audacity to wink at me. Then the annoying little weasel caused even further heart palpitations for me as he hopped from one bar to the next.

"Luke!" I cried, adjusting my tight grip on the bar I was perched on. "Stop it!"

"Sang, he's only ten feet off the ground," Victor laughed as he walked up beneath me. "Relax. We've been way higher at bootcamp and missions."

"Are you _trying_ to freak me out more?" I asked through clenched teeth. Looking down at Victor, I saw his eyes dart away as red blossomed on his cheekbones.

"Victor, is everything okay?" I asked, wondering what could have possibly happened to make one of my boys blush. It didn't happen often, considering I blushed enough for all of us.

"Nothing, Princess," Victor answered somewhat hoarsely before clearing his throat and walking a few feet away. "It's just getting a little warm out."

"A little warm, eh?" A voice teased from behind me. I turned around to see Gabriel climbing towards me atop the monkey bars, a sly grin on his face. "You sure it didn't have anything to do with the view, Vic?"

My head tilted in confusion as I saw Victor glaring at Gabriel, but I took a look around the park just in case I missed something. The sun was shining brightly now, as it was early afternoon. Personally, I thought the view was beautiful. Gabriel, Luke, and Victor were by my side. Kota and Nathan were playing frisbee, while North and Silas had just switched from Football to grilling lunch for us all. Dr. Sean and Mr. Blackbourne were sitting in the shade and it looked like they were playing a board game. Yes, I nodded my head, this was a gorgeous view.

My eyes shot back to Luke as he dismounted off the monkey bars with a front flip. My heart flipped right along with him, as my grip tightened on the bar.

"Luke!" I groaned, shutting my eyes tightly. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Your turn, Sang!" Luke just grinned in response, his chocolate eyes twinkling up at me.

"Yeah, right," I rolled my eyes and started to scoot across the steel bars towards the playground structure.

"Just drop down, Cupacke. I'll catch you," Luke assured me, holding his arms up towards me. He was so tall, my feet already met his shoulders. I slid to the edge of my bar and grasped the one in front of me. Slowly lowering my body as Luke grabbed my hips, I was brought back down to the ground. My body had slid down the length of his, and I had a feeling that was completely intentional on his part, which the mischievous glint in his eyes confirmed. Luke grinned down at me and gave my hips a squeeze before letting go.

"Where to next, Trouble?" Gabriel asked, tossing his arm around my shoulders. I looked around the park, thinking of what we could do next. We'd already explored the entire playground, and I didn't think frisbee was an option for me.

"Let's see how the grilling is going?" I asked, looking between the three boys.

"Of course, Princess," Victor smiled, placing himself on my other side as we began walking towards the rest of our group. Gabriel hummed under his breath as we journeyed through the grass, and Victor's hand brushed against mine every few steps. We shared a secret smile, and I wished we could be open enough to hold hands while Gabriel was holding me.

"I'm guessing North is going to accuse me of being up to no good if I go anywhere near the grill, so I'm gonna join Nathan and Kota," Luke said, starting to jog towards the two playing frisbee. "Come join us later!"

"Have fun, Forever!" I called back as we neared the barbecue pit. North was at the grill, where two dozen hamburgers and hot dogs were sizzling. Silas was leaning against a tree to keep him company, and they were talking casually in Greek as we approached. I really needed to start carrying a Greek-to-English dictionary around with me.

"North Star, how is lunch coming along?" I asked, giving Gabriel a side hug before slipping under his arm and walking up to North. "Do you need any help?"

"Nothing much to do over here," North answered as he flipped over a burger. "You can mix together the fruit if you want, Sang Baby. We've still got fifteen minutes before the meat is ready."

"Okay," I smiled, turning towards the table. There were separate fruit containers and a big bowl to put them in. I started peeling the bananas and slicing them up to put in first, feeling my heart flutter at the opportunity to contribute. As silly as slicing up fruit and putting it in a bowl was, I was embarrassingly proud of and Gabriel had joined Silas in conversation as I watched North gaze steadily at the grill. My lips twitched.

"North?" I tried to get his attention while moving on to slicing the strawberries up. He grunted in response and glanced over at me.

"Are you having fun?" I asked, observing the hard lines of his face. My North wasn't much of a smiler, but from his expression now you'd think he was at a chocolate convention instead of the park.

"Of course I am, Baby," North answered, looking back at me intently as if it should be obvious that he was having a blast.

"Don't give me that look, North Star!" I giggled, turning back to the fruit and sprinkling some blueberries in with the bananas and strawberries. "I just wanted to make sure."

"I'm with you and my brothers, Hendricks is gone, the mission is over, and you're not in danger right now," North grumbled, turning back towards the grill. "Of course I'm having a good time."

"Good," I ducked my head, beaming down at the bowl of fruit. I began brainstorming what kind of games we could play after lunch while I cut up more strawberries. Something that everyone could play and enjoy. Maybe a few rounds of duck, duck, goose? We had enough people for a nice game of capture the flag. Or something sports related. The boys all loved sports. I think I saw a sand volleyball court near the lake….

I was abruptly startled out of my daydreams as fingers seized my waist and started tickling up and down my sides. I squealed in surprise and tried fighting against my captor as involuntary laughter came pouring out of me.

"Stop, stop!" I tried to yell, but it came out in gasps as I wiggled in their strong hold. The strawberry had gone flying and I had no idea where my knife was. Before I could pull in enough air to yell for help, the torturous hands were pulled away from me, and I turned around to see Luke ducking away from North.

"You idiot!" North yelled, stomping after Luke. "She was holding a knife. What the hell, Luke?"

"Calm down, bro," Luke chuckled, turning back to me with smiling eyes. He held up a hand and brandished my knife teasingly towards North. "I picked it off her and put it in my pocket _before_ I started tickling her. She's fine."

I hadn't even noticed. North just grunted in disapproval before turning back towards the grill. I tried to give Luke a stern look, but it was difficult while I was still giggling from the leftover tickling sensation.

"This is why I was planning on staying away from the grilling station, Cupcake," Luke rolled his eyes and walked towards me to flick my nose. I grimaced back at him in response before accepting my knife back. "But you were taking too long to join our frisbee game. Seems like grumpy little North can't handle a little fun."

"Little?" North snorted, not bothering to turn away from the grill. "You really wanna play that game, Lucian?"

"So touchy, too," Luke winked at me before turning away from us and starting to walk off. "If it weren't for his ugly mug, you'd think he was my _sister_."

North turned to glare at Luke, but his brother was already jogging back over to Kota and Nathan. I tried to stifle my own giggles, but North wasn't fooled as he gave me a hard look before turning back to the grill.

"The fruit is all ready, North Star," I told him and leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go check on everyone else now. How long until lunch?"

"About ten more minutes," North answered, looking down at me with a small smile. My own smile widened in response.

"Okay, I'll let them know," I grinned before turning and walking towards one of the shaded trees.

"Dr. Green! Mr. Blackbourne!" I exclaimed when I saw them sitting under the tree with a chessboard. "We're outside in the most beautiful weather, and you're playing _chess?_ "

"Don't look at me, Pookie!" Dr. Sean held his arms up in surrender, his eyes twinkling up at me. "Blame Owen. He only agreed to come along if I played against him. I'd rather be out there frolicking with you."

I bit my lip, the happiness from having all of my boys together for an afternoon at the park fading away to uncertainty. Turning towards Mr. Blackbourne, I caught him giving Dr. Sean a look I couldn't decipher.

"You don't like the park, Mr. Blackbourne?" I asked hesitantly, but I knew he could read my face and see the real question. _Dr. Sean had to bribe you to spend time with me?_

"I assure you that I cherish any time spent with my family, Miss Sorenson. No matter where we are," Mr. Blackbourne said sincerely, his eyes answering my unspoken question. "Sean seems to have read my invitation as an ultimatum. You'll have to excuse him."

"Well. I suppose you are excused then, Dr. Sean," I said playfully, looking towards him and seeing a mock-affronted look. I had to giggle at his expression, it just looked too funny on his face.

"There will be no _excusing_ , Pookie!" Dr. Sean exclaimed, dramatically picking up a piece that looked like a horse and brandishing it towards Mr. Blackbourne. "No matter how proper Mr. Fancy-Pants over here makes it sound, I am the one doing him a favor by playing a stuffy old game while out in the beautiful sunshine."

"Stuffy old game?" Mr. Blackbourne echoed, raising an eyebrow at Dr. Sean who was placing his horse down on the board. Mr. Blackbourne quickly moved a piece that looked like a castle tower into the horse's place as he plucked the horse off the board. "Just because you've lost twice already and are well on your way to attaining your third loss doesn't mean you can belittle the game."

"I can when it's stuffy and old," Dr. Sean replied snootily, crossing his arms with a pout. I rolled my eyes at the same time as Mr. Blackbourne.

"I just wanted to let you know that lunch will be ready in about ten minutes," I cut in, shaking my head at both of them.

"Okay, Pookie!" Dr. Sean gave up on his pout, winking as he grinned at me.

"Thank you, Miss Sorenson," Mr. Blackbourne looked up at me with his millimeter smile before focusing back on the board. He was dressed as casually as I'd ever seen him, which meant he was in nice jeans and a polo shirt. Jeans! If that wasn't enough, he was also sitting in the grass. I couldn't help but stare. "It shouldn't take more than five to finish this."

"Are you trash talking, Owen?" Dr. Sean faked a gasp as I turned around and started walking towards Kota and Nathan.

"I'm simply stating facts, Sean," Mr. Blackbourne answered, and I giggled at the dry humor in his voice.

My giggle drew Kota's attention, and he looked over at me with a smile. I started to smile back before putting my finger against my lips in a shushing gesture as inspiration hit. Kota and Nathan were throwing the frisbee, and Luke had joined them. Kota and Nathan could both see me from their vantage points, but Luke's back was to me as he caught the frisbee from Nathan.

It was time for a little revenge.

As covertly as possible, I began sneaking up behind Luke. I tiptoed up behind him, and Kota seemed to catch on to my plan as he began talking to distract Luke. A few feet away, I held both hands out in front of me and bit my lip to stop the laughter from spoiling my attack. As I was a foot away, Kota threw the frisbee to Nathan, and Luke got in position to catch it. Before Nathan could throw the frisbee, I pounced on Luke and we both went tumbling to the ground. Because of our positions, Luke was lying on his stomach as his hands stopped himself from faceplanting, and I ended up perched on his bottom. A very nice, tight bottom, I noted absently.

Wasting no time, I attacked anywhere I could with my wiggling fingers. Sides. Armpits. Neck. Ribs. Hips. Luke squealed like a pig and tried to buck me off of him, but I kept tickling as much as I could and soon it became difficult to breath through my giggles. All of the sudden, Luke rolled to his left which cause me to roll with him. The last bit of air in my lungs was knocked out of me as he sprung up and I lay sprawled on the grass.

"Sang, mercy!" Luke gasped, holding his sides that were heaving with the big breaths he was taking. I was panting myself, but that didn't stop the maniacal grin from spreading across my face.

I'd just found his weakness!

"You're ticklish!" I exclaimed gleefully, pulling myself up into a kneeling position. "How did I not know this? You guys have tickled me so many times, and I never knew!"

"No, no, Sang," Luke threw his hands up in a non-threatening gesture and backed away a few steps. "You've got it all wrong. I'm not ticklish. I'm just...uhh-"

"Ticklish!" I declared again, taking a deep breath before getting to my feet. Luke started backing away further and adamantly shook his head, looking almost desperate.

"No, Sang. Stop it. This isn't funny. Don't come any closer!" He cried, eyes widening as I stalked slowly towards him. I knew my gaze was on the edge of predatory and that I should be ashamed by the flash of fear I saw in Luke's eyes, but I was having way too much fun with this.

"Sang, stop!" Luke shrieked as I leaped towards him. He turned tail and ran, but I wasn't far behind him. His laughter spurred me on as I chased him, and he started weaving between the trees and trying to juke me.

"Come out and play, my little Lucian!" I taunted him in a sing-song voice, but it was ruined by the giggles escaping me.

"Not today, Sang!" Luke called over his shoulder as he picked up his pace. I urged my legs to go faster, but they couldn't keep up with his long strides. Luke started sprinting across a clearing, and I followed after him, ignoring the calls of North to slow down.

My skirt was whipping across my hips from the movement as I ran, and I almost felt like I was flying across the grass. Giggles were starting to over power my ability to run, but I pushed myself forward as Luke glanced over his shoulder with a grin.

"Can't catch me, Cupcake!" He goaded me, stopping to do some fancy footwork before taking off again. I worked my legs as fast as possible and found myself inching closer to him, smiling when I heard some strangers voicing their encouragement. I was about three feet away when it happened.

" _Mr. Taylor!"_ Mr. Blackbourne shouted out in a voice so loud and commanding, my heart skipped a beat. I had been gaining on Luke and was just a few feet behind when Mr. Blackbourne's yell froze him like a statue and he whipped around to see what was wrong.

Unfortunately, I did not have the reflexes of a cat and ended up colliding straight into Luke's shoulder before bouncing off him like Flubber.

From the force of the collision, I ended up on the ground after Luke haphazardly tried to catch me. He'd flung his arms around me, but that just caused him to go down with me. My face had gotten up close and personal with his collarbone for a second, and my mouth felt like someone hit it with a small frying pan. I gingerly covered it with both hands to try and stop the sting.

"Sang, oh shit! Are you okay?" Luke asked frantically as he pulled himself into a kneeling position beside me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Ow," I said, then grimaced as the word caused more pain for my mouth. Pulling one hand away, I winced when I saw blood on my fingers.

"Shit, shit, shit," Luke chanted, looking at my face. "You're bleeding. Oh god. I'm so sorry, Sang!"

"Luke, you didn't-" I started to say, before the sound of a small stampede interrupted me. I tried to talk again, but my tongue was starting to feel numb.

"You little fucker!" North shouted, pulling Luke up to a standing position just so he could shove him backwards. My eyes widened at the outburst. "I told you not to play rough with her!"

Silas crouched down next to me, his gaze flickering over my face. I ducked my head to avoid his concerned gaze, covering my mouth again.

" _Aggele mou_ , are you okay?" He gently lifted my chin with his giant hand, and I tried to reassure him before he turned on Luke, too.

"Thiwath, I pwomise I'm okay!" I said sincerely, but realized my words were coming out unclear because my tongue felt three sizes too big. Next to us, North pushed Luke again. "Nowth! Don'th hurth him!"

Silas took one look at my mouth, and his eyes widened.

"Doc!" He yelled across the clearing, his eyes not leaving my face. "Come here!"

Hearing Silas, my gentle giant, sound so panicked did not do much to ease my own worry. Did my face really look that awful? Was I deformed now?

"Thiwath?" I asked, my panic growing by the second. "Whath's wrong with me?"

 **A/N:** **Thank you for reading! Any support is very much appreciated. If you see a typo, please let me know so I can correct it. :) I never see them myself..**


	3. Chapter Two: Tongue Twisters

**A/N: UGH. Sorry, I would've posted this earlier, but FF wasn't letting me upload anything...finally tried a different laptop. Lemme know what you think! :)**

Tongue Twisters

"Doc!" Silas called again, one hand frozen under my chin and he stared down at me.

"Thiwath?" I tried to sound out his name, but my tongue felt like a foreign object trying to fit inside my mouth.

"That's a lot of blood," Silas murmured quietly, but my alarm rose as I quite clearly heard him.

"A wot?" I yelped, pushing his hand away and trying to feel the damage. A quick stinging sensation made me pull it back.

"Sang!" Dr. Sean breathed out, kneeling next to me. He took a gentle, but firm, hold of my jaw and turned my face towards him for inspection. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to blatantly ogle his face as he went into doctor mode.

Dr. Sean was...beautiful. I know the boys don't like being called that, especially Luke, but I couldn't think of a better word to describe some of them. His skin looked so soft, soft enough to pet. My hand started lifting up on its own accord from its tight grip on the grass before his sparkling, green eyes made contact with mine.

"Pookie? You still with me?" His lips twitched into a smile, but I was only partially embarrassed that it seemed he knew where my thoughts had ventured. With a wink, he turned towards the boys hovering near by.

"Silas, get my bag from Victor's car! It should be the closest," Dr. Sean uncharacteristically barked at Silas, who was starting to look a little green as he stared at my mouth. "Luke, go to the cafe across the street and ask for some ice. North, go man the grill before we start a forest fire. Everyone else, back up and give Pookie some room to breathe, please."

"I am _not_ leaving Sang baby while she's injured!" North protested, stepping even closer to us and glaring at Dr. Sean.

"Mr. Taylor, you'll go back to the grill right this instant," Mr. Blackbourne cut in smoothly, his dripping with authority.

Most of the boys had been trying to keep North from jumping on Luke again, but Luke took off in a dash towards the street. Silas was moving a little slower as he made his way for the parking lot. I didn't see him, but I heard North stomp off while muttering obscenities.

"Mr. Morgan, please go make sure Mr. Taylor stays by the grill and doesn't just throw the food out to come back here," Mr. Blackbourne ordered.

"Dr. Green gets to deal with a sweet Sang, and you're sticking me with the angry bull?" Victor questioned, looking so cheated I had to smile despite the pain. He shot me another glance before jogging after North.

"Dr. Thean?" I asked quietly, looking up at him. He was acting strange for a doctor whose patient was injured.

"Relax, Pookie," he winked, leaning in closer to whisper. "You've got a little cut on your lip, and you bit your tongue. That explains the swelling. Nothing to worry about, but this is a bit more blood than the boys are used to seeing on you."

"I'm okay?" I asked to make sure, still feeling paranoid after how Luke and Silas reacted.

"Well, you're okay enough to start daydreaming about me, aren't you?" His smile turned flirtatious.

"Your thkin…," I started to say, then thought better of it as my voice trailed off. Dr. Sean was the last person to need an ego boost.

"I'll let you off the hook for now, Pookie," he laughed, drawing the others attention to us from they were in deep conversation a few feet away. "Only because you're my patient. Don't think I'll forget about this later."

I tried to imitate my best North grumble, which just made Dr. Sean laugh more.

"Sean, may I ask what is so humorous about Miss Sorenson getting hurt?" A smooth, deep voice asked behind me as I straightened my shoulders in response.

"Is she okay, Doc?" Kota asked, coming up behind me and placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. I turned towards him with a reassuring smile, but maybe the blood wasn't very reassuring because his grip tightened.

"Does she need to go to the hospital?" Nathan joined us, sitting in the grass a foot away from us.

"Relax, everyone," Dr. Sean sighed, turning towards our audience as Silas came barrelling down the hill with a red first-aid kit. "Pookie is fine, just a little shaken up. She has a small cut on her lip and she bit her tongue. With a towel and some ice to help the swelling, she'll be good as new!"

Dr. Sean took the bag from Silas with a "thank you," and he started searching through it. I looked around at the boys and saw them starting to relax. Except for Mr. Blackbourne, who stood with the same amount of control and awareness as usual.

"Here you go, Pumpkin," Dr. Sean cooed, gently wiping my face with a small towel. It stung and I wince a little, but couldn't help giggling at his tone.

"There's my happy Pookie," he winked, putting the towel down and opening a small tube. Squeezing some ointment onto one finger, he gently applied it to my lip. "This should help the sting."

"Where is Luke with that ice?" Kota asked from above me as he looked around the clearing. I followed his gaze, but didn't see Luke's blonde head anywhere. I brought my hand up and pulled his hand off my shoulder, gripping it in my own instead. His gaze met mine with a soft smile before taking a seat next to me on the grass.

"Silas really scared us, Ten," he murmured, looking down at my mouth. His expression wasn't as worried, but his other hand was gently caressing each of my fingers individually, and I knew he was counting.

"Thowwy," I mumbled, annoyed I couldn't say anything properly. The boys had all calmed down by now, but I wanted to reassure them without sounding like a toddler.

"I swear to fucking Jesus Christ, you are grounded for the rest of your life, Trouble!" Gabriel burst out. I swung my gaze to him and saw my Meanie pacing around in the grass. His hair was tousled, something he would never allow to happen without extracting painful revenge on whoever caused it, and he wasn't looking at me. "North was right about the fucking bubble idea. Maybe I'll have him build you a cage and I'll swallow the key, so we don't have to deal with this shit!"

I rolled my eyes at him, but smiled fondly. Gabriel didn't mean it, he just wanted to yell for a little.

"You couwdn'th do my hair ith I was wocked up, Meanie," I giggled, and he stopped pacing to look over at me. His expression was slightly alarmed, which made me giggle more.

"Well, shit...ah, I'll have North build a window to put your head through!" Gabriel declared, walking over to give me a kiss atop my head. "We'll make it sink level. Fucking perfect."

"Mr. Coleman, bring her over to this bench," Mr. Blackbourne ordered from behind me, and I rolled my eyes. I opened my mouth to protest, but for some reason it was doubly embarrassing to speak to Mr. Blackbourne with this lisp. Turning towards him, I raised a skeptical eyebrow.

 _I have legs, you know,_ I quickly signed to him before taking Gabriel's offered hand. Mr. Blackbourne's gaze flickered down to my legs as I straightened my skirt, and I could've sworn he was smirking.

"Oh, trust me, Miss Sorenson. I know," he murmured, before leaning forward to examine my lip himself. His lips turned down in a slight frown before he straightened up. "Go to the bench with Mr. Coleman until Mr. Taylor gets back with your ice. You shouldn't be sitting on the grass."

I shook my head, feeling it pointless to argue that we came to the park to _play._ I suppose grass stains were Mr. Blackbourne's idea of Armageddon, thought, so I let it slide.

"Let's go, Trouble," Gabriel nudged me forward, ushering me towards the bench. I huffed a sigh before shuffling forward with him.

"Try not to talk, Pookie," Dr. Sean followed on my other side, the first aid kit swinging from his shoulder. "It'll aggravate the cuts, and they'll just take longer to heal."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement as we approached the bench. Sitting down near one end, I motioned for Gabriel to sit beside me. He slid into the spot and put his arm atop the bench, behind my shoulders.

"Oh, and Pookie?" Dr. Sean looked suddenly grave, and I tried to halt my panic. "That also includes moving lips too much. I'm sorry to say it, but this means no giggling or kissing until the swelling goes down."

Dr. Sean looked so serious and remorseful, that I felt the unexpected urge to burst into giggles. I was unable to stop myself as the giggles started bubbling up inside of me, and then I exploded with them.

"Pookie!" Dr. Sean exclaimed, grabbing onto my shoulders while Gabriel jumped back in alarm.

"Sang, I'm being serious," Dr. Sean chided, rubbing his thumbs in soothing circles on my shoulders as he tightened his grip, but I saw his lips twitching. "You're going to make the cuts worse."

"S-sowwy," I stammered when the giggles finally started to cease. My tongue hadn't shrunk at all yet, and I was getting pretty desperate for this ice.

As if on cue, Kota shouted out Luke's name as he came racing towards us. Dr. Sean's ointment was helping the sting on my lip, but it still burned a little bit. I was grateful for the arrival of ice.

"Here you go, Sang!" Luke announced, panting for air as he skidded to a halt in front of me. Gabriel stood up so Luke could sit beside me, and I held out a hand for the ice. He stated to hand the cup towards me, but then I got a better look at it. There was a...spoon?

"Luke?" I asked, confused as I took the cup in my hand. I felt another giggle start to bubble out as I realized what Luke had handed me.

A snow cone.

"Miss Sorenson, it looks like lunch is ready," Mr. Blackbourne pulled my attention away from the purple treat in front of me as I looked up into his steel eyes. "We'll leave you and Mr. Taylor to ice your lip before you join us. Don't worry about the food, I'll make sure there's some left for both of you."

I tried to convey my thanks to Mr. Blackbourne in the eye-speak that the boys use, and I think he understood what I was saying before he walked away towards the picnic tables. I knew he was leaving Luke and me some time to talk before joining back with the group, which I was grateful for. Luke was still on edge, blaming himself for my injury when it wasn't his fault.

"Owen is correct, Pookie, I can smell the hot dogs from here!" Dr. Sean grinned, grabbing onto Gabriel's shoulder and pulling him away. Kota, Nathan, and Silas followed behind after saying they'd see me soon. I scooped up a piece of the snow cone and held it against my lip, slipping my tongue out to lick it. The coolness felt great on my lip, and my tastebuds danced at the flavor.

"I'm sorry, Sang," Luke breathed out as soon as the others were out of hearing range. I rolled my eyes at him, causing his own to narrow. Scooping another piece of the ice, I let it sit on my numb tongue before setting the cup on my lap.

 _Stop, Luke,_ I spelled out with one hand, looking at him with the most serious, stern look I could muster. _It's not your fault._

"My collarbone cut you, Sang," he said dejectedly, his eyes lowering to focus on my lip. The ice was melting on my tongue, and I quickly scooped another spoonful into my mouth. "And I didn't catch you."

 _Accident,_ I signed, shaking my head at him. _Mr. Blackbourne surprised us._

"Yeah," Luke sighed, looking off towards the picnic tables. "I've never heard him yell like that."

I nodded my head in agreement while taking another spoonful of ice.

 _I feel fine_ , I signed, sending him a small smile. _Just wish I could talk._

"Well, let's just sit here for awhile and get some ice on that. You'll be yabbering on and on like usual in no time," Luke smiled, and I enjoyed the view as it lit up his face. A mischevious look slid onto his face as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. "We'll have to invent new, more fun ways to shut you up."

I huffed playfully while shaking my head at him, but allowed Luke to take the cup from me. He scooped up a bit of ice, and I opened my mouth as he gently eased the spoon inside. I let the ice melt on my tongue, and we repeated this process for about ten minutes as Luke joked around about what everyone would be saying at the picnic tables right now.

" _Do you think Baby is okay?_ " Luke grunted, impersonating North and asking the same question for the fourth time. " _Stop eating the fruit! That's for Baby!_ "

I cackled with giggles as he exaggerated North's scowl, clutching my stomach with one hand. It's a good thing Dr. Sean was out of hearing distance, or he'd reprimand me for not following his instructions.

" _Mr. Taylor!_ " Luke sniffed, tossing his nose into the air and holding his shoulders back. " _You must stop asking about Miss Sorenson, this very instant! There is enough fruit for everyone!_ "

" _No, Mr. B!_ " Luke hunched his shoulders brought his eyebrows down as he squinted in an elaborate glare. " _There's only five pounds of fruit! Sang Baby needs it or she'll die!_ "

"Luke!" I gasped, begging him to stop with my eyes because I could barely breath through my giggles. He grinned down at me, eyes sparkling, as he held out another scoop of ice. I settled down my laughter enough to handle it, and I accepted the spoon into my mouth. I swished the ice around in my mouth, letting it coat all of my tongue.

"How are you feeling, Cupcake?" Luke's eyes turned serious as he gazed down at me. I swallowed the ice and tested moving my tongue around a bit before answering.

"Better," I answered, and grinned when I was able to speak without a lisp. The grin stretched my lip, and I winced while my hand flew up to the cut. "Well, my tongue feels better. The lip still stings a bit."

"Ah," Luke grimaced and scooped up a little more ice. "Let's put some ice on it."

"Thank you, Luke," I smiled, making sure to keep it small so it didn't bother the cut. I accepted the spoon from him and held it up to my lip. There was still plenty of snow cone left, and I'm guessing he'd gotten a large size. Luke put his arm back around my shoulder, and I leant my head against him. He gave me a gentle, comforting squeeze and I practically melted against him. It almost felt like we were on a date. Like we'd gone to dinner or a movie earlier, and now we taking a romantic walk through the park.

Luke's lips softly kissed the top of my head, and I looked over to my other boys at the picnic tables. They were still eating, but I'd seen each of them look over here at different times. I stifled a giggle when I saw that North had turned around on his bench to face us this entire time, besides the few times we saw him barking at others.

The rest were all talking with each other, and I saw Mr. Blackbourne stand up to throw his trash away. For some reason, this jolted my memory and I frowned in confusion.

"Luke?" I asked, making sure he wasn't off in a daydream somewhere.

"Yeah, Sang?" He answered, his fingers lightly running up and down my shoulder.

"Why did Mr. Blackbourne yell your name earlier?" I questioned, remembering how loud he had yelled. I shifted backwards a bit and looked up towards Luke, but he looked just as confused as I felt.

"I...I have no clue," Luke said, shaking his head. "I didn't ask earlier, then it was just kind of forgotten."

"I wonder what he wanted," I mused. "I guess it wasn't very important, or he would've brought it up by now."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Luke shrugged before pulling his arm off of me and standing up. "Hey, Mr. B!"

Both tables of boys turned to look at us as I grabbed the snow cone from Luke, but he waved them all down.

"Sang's fine!" He yelled, rolling his eyes. "Mr. B, can you come here a sec?"

Mr. Blackbourne threw the rest of his trash away and started walking towards us as the rest slowly turned back towards their food. All except for North, who looked like he wanted to get up as well.

"Are you alright, Miss Sorenson?" Mr. Blackbourne asked as he approached us, despite Luke just saying I was okay.

"I'm fine, Mr. Blackbourne," I assured him, then looked pointedly towards Luke.

"Mr. B?" Luke asked, looking from me to the ground, his voice hesitant. I remembered the contained anger in Mr. Blackbourne's voice as he yelled, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"Yes, Mr. Taylor?" He prodded, stepping closer so he was next to us.

"What did you call my name for earlier?" Luke asked quietly from his spot on the bench. My eyes swung to Mr. Blackbourne as he cleared his throat.

"Mr. Taylor, I was calling you both back to join us," he said, his gaze momentarily flickering to me before focusing back on Luke. "Miss Sorenson is wearing a skirt."

I looked down at my skirt, wondering where he was going with this. It wasn't like Mr. Blackbourne to state the obvious.

"So?" Luke echoed my thoughts, his puzzled expression looking at my skirt as well. "She always wears a skirt."

"Yes," Mr. Blackbourne cleared his throat again, one of his hands going up to straighten a tie that wasn't there. He was nervous?

"Does your throat tickle, Mr. Blackbourne? Would you like some of my snow cone?" I offered, holding up said snowcone for him to take. Luke chuckled under his breath as Mr. Blackbourne shook his head at me.

"No thank you, Miss Sorenson, but I appreciate the offer," he responded before turning towards Luke. "She was running full speed in her skirt today."

Luke's face dawned with understanding, but I was just as confused as before.

"You called Luke's name because I was running? Why didn't you call my name? And what's wrong with running?" I asked in confusion, my head swirling with questions.

"I didn't want to scare you, Miss Sorenson," Mr. Blackbourne admitted, his gaze faltering before zeroing in on me. "As for the running…."

"I'm guessing you were flashing your panties for everyone, Cupcake," Luke grinned, looking suddenly gleeful, his arm going around back my shoulders and squeezing me. It took a moment to click, before my eyes widened in alarm at both of them.

"What?" I squeaked, my cheeks flaring with heat. "No I wasn't! Don't joke about that!"

"We were running pretty fast, Sang," Luke reasoned while sniggering, his eyes turning to Mr. Blackbourne for confirmation. I reluctantly looked as well, to see Mr. Blackbourne's lips set in a firm line.

"But...but I run like that all the time with you guys!" I protested, hesitantly looking around the clearing to see just how many people had seen my...my underwear. There were dozens of people out on blankets, walking dogs, throwing frisbees. I ducked my head in mortification.

"Not in public, Miss Sorenson," Mr. Blackbourne explained, and I could see his feet shifting in the grass. "Usually when we're at Mr. Griffin's or Mr. Lee's, or one of the other boys' homes. In private."

That did nothing to quell my embarrassment, but then something else clicked and my face turned even brighter with anger.

"You mean…," I swallowed, the snow cone starting to tremble in my hand and Luke reached out to take it from me. "You mean you've seen my underwear when I've run before? This wasn't the first time?"

Luke almost dropped my snow cone as he brought it back to his lap, and I looked up in time to see red tint Mr. Blackbourne's cheeks. If I wasn't so upset, I might've feinted at the realization that he was _blushing._

"And you didn't think to _tell_ me?" I yelped, my voice breaking off at the end.

"Well, to be honest," Luke scratched the back of his neck and shrugged guiltily at me, "I was a little busy enjoying the view."

"Oh my gosh!" I cried, tempted to take some of the snow cone ice and hold it against my burning cheeks.

"I apologize, Sang," Mr. Blackbourne said sincerely, and I could tell just how remorseful he felt from the use of my first name. The usual butterflies that came along with him calling me Sang were currently being smothered by the dragons that arrived whenever I was embarrassed.

"I can't believe this," I mumbled, hiding my face in Luke's shoulder despite the fact that he partially caused this.

"Sang, I know it was wrong, but you've gotta understand that I'm a sixteen year old guy," Luke said, his laughter subsiding. He sounded serious, but I knew he was still smiling. "When I see the hot girl, whom I'm undeniably attracted to and can't stop thinking about, running around with her panties on display, do you really expect me to tell her? When I know that would stop her?"

I sighed, knowing that Luke honestly believed that was a valid reason. The boy was delusional.

"And despite what you believe, Sang," Luke continued, using his other hand to run his fingers through my hair, "Mr. B. is only nineteen. He's still a horny teenager, too."

My blush exploded at Luke's audacity to call Mr. Blackbourne _horny._ Unable to stop myself, I sneaked a glance to see Mr. Blackbourne giving Luke an indecipherable look.

"Ha, I knew that would make you come out of hiding, Cupcake!" Luke smiled triumphantly, putting both arms around me in a tight squeeze.

"Despite Mr. Taylor's candidness with the situation, I'd like to apologize again, Miss Sorenson," Mr. Blackbourne brought his gaze down to me, and I saw that he was in complete control again. "It was wrong of me not to tell you earlier. It was also wrong of me to act out and yell at Mr. Taylor like that. I caused both your collision and your injuries. I hope I can earn your forgiveness."

"Mr. Blackbourne, it was an accident," my brows furrowing together in confusion. What in the world was with these boys and blaming themselves? "It was no one's fault. It just happened. But why did you sound so angry?"

I was shocked yet again to see Mr. Blackbourne's cheeks tint pink, but it only lasted for a moment before he answered.

"I must admit that my inner caveman tendencies took over for a moment there. I did not like anyone else seeing you like that. Not for one moment, Sang," he stated seriously, his last sentence ending in almost a purr, and I tried not to lose myself in the way his steel eyes swirled while talking to me.

My jaw dropped at his confession. Mr. Blackbourne felt...jealous?

Unable to stop myself any longer, I scooped up some ice with both hands and held it to my cheeks before the blush could start. Luke erupted with laughter beside me, bringing his arm up from around my shoulder to clutch his stomach with both hands. I huffed at him while the rest of my body felt like it was turning to jello. Mr. Blackbourne took another step forward and crouched in front of me.

"I know I don't show it often, Miss Sorenson," he murmured loud enough to be heard over Luke's laughter, but quietly enough for just me to hear, "but I can be possessive when it comes to the people I care about and love. We may be taking this relationship slowly, for now, but you're _ours._ If that means getting a little territorial in the park, then so be it."

His earnest gaze penetrated mine, and I wasn't sure if I should feel thrilled that he felt so strongly towards me or worried that he was getting so proprietorial.

I shook off both feelings, deciding that I'd worry about that later. For now, I felt loved.

As Luke's laughter subsided, I held Mr. Blackbourne's gaze. Out of nowhere, I finally felt it. That eye language that the Academy boys use. I could understand what Mr. Blackbourne was trying to tell me without using words. We both shared unwarranted apologies for actions that weren't our fault. Even though I didn't need to, I apologized for showing so many strangers my undergarments. He sympathized with how embarrassed he knew that made me, and I thanked him. His eyes softened, and he told me just how much I meant to him. With a shaky breath, I broke eye contact before I let him know just how much I wished we were alone in private at this moment.

As Luke asked us what we were talking about, I looked back up and saw Mr. Blackbourne's gaze hadn't moved from me. I may have unintentionally shared one last thought with him before turning towards Luke.

It was my own fault for looking at Mr. Blackbourne's lips and wondering if they were still as soft as they were on Tuesday.

From the way his eyes darkened, I could tell my eye-speaking skills were definitely up to par.


	4. Chapter Three: Hakuna Matata

**A/N: I'm going to go ahead and apologize now. This one gets a little...mature? I'm not sure. You'll see for yourself. I don't even know how this happened. Maybe I'm lonely. *coughhorny?***

Hakuna Matata

The sun's rays were starting to peek through Nathan's blinds as I woke with a groan the next morning. It was the weekend, I was cuddled up to a warm chest, and I'd just spent all of yesterday with my boys. I smiled at the thought, then smiled further as I realized that my lip didn't throb with pain at the action. My tongue was fully healed in less than twenty-four hours, and the cut on my lip was barely a scratch. I tested scrunching my lips, but it didn't irritate the cut. Another thing to be happy about, I thought with a content sigh. I suppose the three extra snow cones that Luke bought me at the park really did help.

Well, one was completely gone by the time he made it back from the snow cone stand. He claimed it was a long walk, and that a man only has so much self control.

Wanting to prolong my lazy Sunday, I extended my toes as far as physically possible and raised my hands high above my head on the pillow. I stretched as far as my fingertips could reach and arched my back, a quiet groan rumbling up my throat at the sensation. Feeling both content and languid, I cuddled back into the pillow and burrowed my feet between Nathan's legs, not even bothering to fight a yawn.

As my mouth opened wide, I pretended I was a lioness relaxing in the bright sun, dozing in the Sahara. Growling for effect, I pawed the pillow underneath my head lazily.

"Roooar!" I whispered mightily before my mouth was unwillingly pulled into another yawn. Picturing myself to be surrounded by tall grass and antelope, I laid out on my rock. As the yawn ended and my lips started to close, I was startled to find that something had invaded my mouth before I could close it.

"Wha-" I froze as my eyes popped open at the intrusion, only to see a pair of blue eyes blinking sleepily back at me. His hair was tousled and crazy, and the sleepy smile spreading across Nathan's face was so adorable I had to clench my fists to stop myself from attacking him.

"Morning, Peanut," Nathan mumbled, wiggling his finger between my lips when I hadn't responded.

"Morning, Honey," I mumbled back around his finger as I happily chewed. Now I was the lioness who caught her prey, I thought with a silly smirk.

"How's your lip?" He whispered, running his thumb across it in a featherlight touch. "It looks better."

"Doesn't hurt anymore," I murmured, giving him a small smile around his finger and nibbling it gently. "I can stretch my lips."

"Good," Nathan smiled and closed his eyes again. I was content to chew his finger in silence until Nathan's eyes snapped open as he gave me a funny look.

"What were you doing a minute ago?" Nathan asked, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Did I hear you growl?"

"I…," I hesitated, my imagination not making as much sense now that I was more awake. Still chewing on his index finger, I lifted my own hand up and stuck a finger in his mouth. "Here you go!"

"Peanut," he muttered warningly around my finger, sending me a pointed look as he started chewing.

"I might've been pretending I was a lion," I admitted quietly, using my tongue to push Nathan's finger to my cheek so I could talk more clearly, scooting closer to curl my free arm around his middle.

"Well, that explains the roar I heard," Nathan responded calmly, pulling his head back to give my finger a light kiss. "Wasn't sure if I was dreaming it."

"I was thinking about how we were having a lazy Sunday," I explained after letting go of his finger, looking into his dark, blue eyes as he snaked both arms around my waist. My body curled into him automatically. "Just like lions do."

"Sounds fun. You know what else lions do?" Nathan asked, his lips twitching into a smile.

"Hunt?" I guessed, mentally filing through all the realistic parts of _The Lion King._ I couldn't very well say "sing."

Nathan pulled me closer until our bodies were flush against each other from our knees to chests. My feet were still tangled between his legs, and I had to tilt my head back to see his face. I felt snug and surrounded in my Nathan burrito.

"They lick each other," Nathan answered with a smirk, his eyes twinkling mischievously down at me. I could only wrinkle my brow in question before he ducked down and licked a wet, warm trail from the base of my neck to my ear.

"Nathan!" I squealed, wiggling against his tight grip as I tried to pull away from his tongue. "Ew!"

"Mmm, Peanut," Nathan hummed happily, switching to small, quick licks as he claimed my face with his own saliva.

"It tickles!" I laughed, scrunching up my nose as he licked my eyebrow. Did this boy have no shame?

"Mmm, you taste good," Nathan responded, not even acknowledging that I was trying to escape his grasp. He laid there like a lion himself, licking my face at his own leisure, as calm as could be.

As his licks moved to my cheek, I impulsively snuck my own tongue out to poke his chin. He tasted slightly salty, and his unshaven scruff prickled my tongue. Not minding the taste, and quite liking Nathan's playful nature, I continued licking up his cheek. I was vibrating with giggles from both the way his tongue tickled me and how silly I felt licking him back. I licked over Nathan's eyelid, and he snorted while lapping at my chin. As his tongue made its way up my jaw in quick touches, I jabbed my own to the side to try and get his nose.

Nathan made his way up to my ear and playfully blew inside, making me squeal with giggles as I thrashed. He chuckled and moved his lips down, licking the skin below my ear before latching my earlobe into his mouth and sucking. My brain stopped functioning.

"Ah, Nathan!" I gasped, blinking my eyes twice at the sensation as my fingers gripped his wifebeater. Nathan froze, my earlobe still suctioned between his lips for three whole heartbeats before he relaxed again. He let my earlobe pop free and resumed his small, playful licks up my temple. Blinking, I tried to control my breathing as he feigned ignorance at my reaction.

And I went along with it, pretending nothing happened and trying to shove away that warm feeling in my lower belly. Licking down Nathan's cheek, I softly swatted his chest with a pretend paw. He chuckled and swiftly grabbed both my wrists in return, pulling them behind my back. This just pushed my chest impossibly closer to his, and he smirked against my cheek. Chuckling at my perverted protector, I happily let him imprison my paws.

My licks slowed down and lasted longer as I made my way along Nathan's jaw. It was so strong and defined, I had to stop myself from nibbling on it. He had the tiniest bit of unshaven scruff, and it tickled my tastebuds.

As my tongue ventured down to his chin, Nathan was pleasantly licking beneath my nose. It made my nose itch, and I tried to subtly scratch it against his tongue. Unable to stop myself, I started inching higher up on Nathan's chin and found myself tracing the very bottom of his lip. During Nathan's next lick, his tongue slid against mine for a moment, but this time neither of us froze.

I licked again, catching the side of his lips and more of his tongue. He moved his tongue against mine, pushing them flat against each other. After a few quick, tingly swipes, he captured my mouth with his and I was lost in him.

Our tongues battled as he angled his face against mine, deepening the kiss to a place that made my brain short circuit. My face was smushed against the pillow, but I was exceedingly comfortable in his arms.

Unable to move my hands, I fought back against Nathan with the kiss, trying my hardest to take control. He responded by moving both of my wrists into one hand and using the other to grab my neck, tilting it back as his tongue invaded every corner of my mouth. Since I wasn't able to hold his cheek or run my fingers through his hair like I wanted to, I freed my feet from his hold and threw one around his waist, pulling myself even closer to him.

That feeling, the one I was becoming quickly addicted to over this past month, flared in my lower belly. It was warm and felt funny, and it made me want to squirm in my seat like I was being reprimanded. My hips shifted against Nathan's on their own accord, and he grunted into my mouth as my lips opened on a silent gasp. The movement had set butterflies afloat inside of me, and I wanted more.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I shifted my hips again, and _that_ feeling reverberated through my core. I was on fire for Nathan, and from the way his left hand gripped my wrists I could tell it was affecting him, too. The warm, hard appendage poking into my stomach was also a dead give away, but if I thought about that too much I would either chicken out or risk burning him with a blush.

As his thumb caressed my collarbone, I lost myself in his leather and cypress scent, surrounding myself with his serenity. Nathan was my calm, my playful lion. I felt adored as his hand moved up to cradle my face, and he slowed the kisses down to an unhurried pace. We nibbled, and licked, and kissed, not stopping until the sun had fully risen and the sparks in my stomach seemed ready to ignite into flames. My face felt warm and fuzzy from his scruff rubbing against it, and my Honey gave me one last chaste, closed-mouth kiss before pulling back to look in my eyes.

"'Morning, Peanut," He repeated as his lips spread into a handsome grin, his voice low and husky, making that warm feeling pulse within my belly.

"Good morning, Honey," I smiled back, surprised at the hoarseness in my own throat as I cleared it.

"I think Gabriel might be onto something with this licking thing," Nathan smirked, gently letting go of my hands and rubbing both wrists with soothing circles.

"I liked it," I giggled, feeling almost hypnotized as I stared back into his blue eyes.

"Well I think we both know how much I liked it," Nathan laughed, clearing his throat as he started to pull away his hips along with the warm poking device. I let my leg slide down his hip slowly, intertwining it with his own. Nathan pulled his hands away from my wrists and playfully poked both of my cheeks as he shifted on the bed. "How about some breakfast, Peanut?"

"How about staying in bed forever?" I countered, smiling softly and leaning up to kiss his jaw. I was relaxed and happy. Moving seemed like a crime when we could still spend a few hours snuggling up and kissing.

"Sang, you can't say that to a guy," Nathan seemed to laugh and groan at the same time, and his shoulders shook the bed with their force which caused me to vibrate as well. I smiled back at him, my lips feeling goofy and numb from kissing. "You'll start putting ideas in his head."

"Wasn't that the point?" I asked, frowning at him. "I said it while thinking about kissing you."

I was proud of the way I said it without blushing, mentally patting myself on the back at the accomplishment. I was kissing nine guys now, surely I should be able to admit that I want to keep doing it? From the way Nathan's slow smile spread across his face and his eyes softened, I felt like he was proud of me, too. I just wasn't sure why.

"You're absolutely precious, Peanut," he sighed, planting his lips against my forehead in a soft kiss that lingered long after he pulled away. "My thoughts weren't quite that innocent."

"What ideas was it putting in your head?" I asked before I could chicken out, intrigued to know what Nathan thought about while we were in bed. If any of the boys could read my thoughts while we kissed, I'm sure their egos would inflate enough that I'd have my own personal fleet of hot air balloons.

"Lots of things," Nathan shrugged, moving his hands to rest on my hips. His fingers slipped beneath my cami, and he started rubbing small circles against my bare skin which quickly became heavenly torture. "Like licking you other places, for one."

"What other places?" I practically croaked, causing Nathan to shake with laughter.

"Maybe...here," He murmured, reading my eyes for a moment before slowly sliding down the bed. He tenderly moved me to my back so he was hovering over me, his lips giving me a soft kiss on the lips. He moved lower, kissing my jaw and starting a pleasurable trail down my neck. Every few kisses his tongue would sneak out and lick my skin, causing me to bite my bottom lip.

"Or here," Nathan muttered, gripping my hips as his tongue snuck out and traced the skin at the top of my cami. The tank top was form fitting, and I gasped as he licked across the top of my breasts. This wasn't completely new, I chastised myself, trying to get all of my feelings under control. I'd been topless with some of the boys, with Nathan, and I knew where he was going. Knew I wanted it.

My brain was still acting like it was the first time as my thoughts were scrambled.

"And here," Nathan locked eyes with me as he gently tugged my cami down an inch before swooping down to trace the outline again. A foreign sound left my mouth, something between a moan and a garble, as the anticipation started to slowly kill me.

"And here," Nathan's voice turned hoarse as he pulls the shirt down another two inches. The built in bra went with it, and I shivered as my nipples peaked out to meet the cold air. Nathan was warming me up enough to barely notice the chill, though.

There was a moment as he looked down at me, his gaze flickering between my face and chest before he zoned in on the more southern option. His expression was so serious, so focused, I felt torn between the need to hide in his closet or jump him. Bunching my tank top down further, he attacked before I could make a decision.

His tongue swirled around my nipple before he started lapping at it, making that embarrassing sound leave my lips again. Giving my other breast the same attention, he groaned as my hips started to squirm against him. His hand came up to knead my other breast, and I brought my hands up to hold his shoulders.

"There's another place I thought of licking, too," Nathan mumbled against me, and I barely heard him over my panting.

"Where?" I asked, breathlessly, refusing to believe that any other place he licked could feel as good as what he'd done so far.

Nathan's eyes darkened to black as he continued massaging my breast with one hand and slid the other one along my cami. He ghosted it over my belly button, and that spot just beneath, causing my hips to raise slightly.

"Right here," Nathan whispered, his fingers ghosting along my pantyline and I was having trouble breathing.

"You'd lick my belly?" I asked between breaths, moving to grip his upper arms tightly.

"No," Nathan shook his head, his voice void of any laughter when I was worried he might make fun of me. He hesitated, stopping both hands briefly before the one on my shorts moved lower. "I'd lick you here."

I was frozen, my mind completely focused on where Nathan's hand was currently resting and everything else was mush. But he wasn't moving that hand, and a big part of me wanted to yell at him to just _move_.

Then my brain caught up to his words, and I choked on my own spit.

"There?" I gasped, coughing a few times to clear my throat. I scrambled backwards on the bed, away from Nathan and his hand. "What!"

Nathan just nodded, his ears tinting a slight pink as he studied me.

"But...but," I stammered, trying to grasp the idea of his _mouth_ going _down there._ "But I pee from there!"

"So?" Nathan snorted, but he stayed back on his side of the bed to give me room. "You also have a little bundle of nerves down there that wouldn't feel so offended by my offer."

"Offer?" I asked, my eyes going wide, too freaked out to ask him what he meant by 'little bundle of nerves.' I knew he had thought about it, but now he wanted to do it….

"Peanut, Relax," Nathan smiled, shaking his head at me again. "You're coiled tighter than a spring right now, Sang."

"Well you didn't have someone just offer to lick the spot you pee from!" I defended, crossing my arms which made me realize my breasts were still showing. Yanking up my cami with a huff, I crossed my arms again and gave him a look.

Nathan's eyes were slightly unfocused as he looked back at me.

"Nathan!" I called, snapping him out of his trance.

"Sorry," his cheeks were slightly flushed, and I wondered what made him zone out like that. His eyes focused on me, and he had one of the most grim expressions I've ever seen on his face. "Sang, you know I would never make you do anything you didn't want to or I didn't think you would like."

"I know," I nodded, which was true because I trusted him with my life. I also knew I was incredibly inexperienced and have been learning from the boys as we go. It was a very hands on education, and I found myself getting curious fairly often. "So, is licking... _down_ _there_ something kinky that some couples do?"

"Kinky?" Nathan blanched, looking at me like I had three heads which made me feel self conscious. He grabbed my hand, knowing where my finger was going before it did, and held it gently in his palm. "Sang, where did you learn the word 'kinky'?"

"Gabriel," I answered plainly, shrugging my shoulders.

"Figures," Nathan mumbled as he played with my fingers. "Well, no, Sang. It isn't 'kinky.' It's actually pretty normal."

"Oh," was all I could think to respond. I was avoiding eye contact now and trying not to think about the mechanics and effects of Nathan doing...that.

"Sang, I wasn't talking about right now. I know you're not ready for that. But think about it," Nathan said quietly, and I looked up to see him giving me a gentle smile. "Whether you decide you want to or not, I'm with you. I'm with you if all we ever do is kiss. I could kiss you until I'm so old my lips shrivel up."

I smiled at that, looking up to see Nathan returning my smile with a gentle one of his own.

"I want to...do stuff," I admittedly softly, shrugging as I made myself look at him. "I know I want to do more than kissing, and eventually...yeah. The big thing. Um…."

"Sex?" Nathan offered, his smile turning into a smirk, but his eyes didn't lose their softness.

"Y-yes," I stammered, trying to tame the blush as it bloomed on my cheeks. "Yes. That."

"Good to know, Peanut," He grinned, leaning in to give me a soft kiss. "And ditto."

I didn't think my cheeks could get any hotter, but apparently it was a day for the record books. Knowing the boys were interested in me romantically was one thing, but hearing the verbal confirmation? It was mindboggling.

I leaned in to kiss him again, planting a gentle kiss on his bottom lip as we heard the front door open.

"Sang? Nathan?" I heard Kota call out from the entry way. "You two awake?"

"Guess it's time for breakfast," Nathan's lips curled into a half smile, pulling away from me as his hand came up to flick my nose. "What should we make, Peanut?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes!" I exclaimed excitedly, popping up to throw the blankets off my legs.

"If you can find any chocolate," Nathan grinned, shaking his head as he shoved off the covers and climbed out of bed. "North was here yesterday."

"Luke and I hid some," I said mysteriously as I slipped off the edge of the bed and hurried out the door, almost running into Kota in the hallway.

"Good morning, Sang," he smiled, and I smiled, throwing my arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Morning, Kota," I beamed, pecking him on the cheek and leaning back to see his handsome face. "Want to help me make pancakes?"

"Sure," he said and gave me a tight squeeze before taking my hand in his and heading for the kitchen. "How's your lip?"

"Good enough to get some morning exercise," Nathan offered from behind us, the smirk blaringly obvious in his voice.

"Nathan!" I gasped, giving him a stern look over my shoulder as Kota laughed.

"So that's why they're swollen," he grinned down at me, causing me to bring a hand up to my lips to assess the damage. They were a little puffy from Nathan's kisses. "I should've guessed. Instead I was worried that you got hurt again, Ten."

"Nope," I mumbled, quickening our pace a bit. I was a little embarrassed to be acknowledging the fact that I had made out with one of the boys in front of a different one.

Maybe one day I would get used to it. Hopefully. I just prayed that I get the chance to make it to that point.

"Peanut, relax," Nathan sighed, rubbing my shoulders as we entered the kitchen. Kota got to work right away by pulling out ingredients, and I led Nathan towards the counter. "Your face is red enough we could probably cook the pancakes on it if we wanted to."

"Shush," I grumbled, fanning my warm face for a moment before planting my hands on the countertop. Heaving myself up, I swung my legs onto the counter and kneeled carefully.

"Sang?" Kota questioned, his brow pulled in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Hunting," I answered, and the lioness in me from this morning purred in agreement. Nathan held my ankles as I shakily started standing up, but I just rolled my eyes at him. I'm not helpless enough that I'm unable to stand on a counter. Silly boys. Stretching up on my tip toes, I zoned in on the potted plant above the cabinets. Spreading about the leaves, I froze when my eyes connected with something other than the expected bag of chocolate goodness.

"What is it, Sang?" Nathan asked when I had stopped moving. "What are you looking for?"

"I can't believe him!" I gasped, twirling around with the note in my hand, thankful when I actually almost lost my footing and Nathan righted me. "He took the chocolate chips!"

Both of the boys' eyebrows rose as I pouted, allowing Nathan to lift me off the counter and into his strong arms. Kota looked over my shoulder to read the note, as well.

 _Nice try, Luke. Stop feeding Sang Baby garbage._

"It's okay, Ten," Kota said while stroking my hair. "North has been finding Luke's sweets for years now. We can go get some at the store."

"No, Kota, that's okay!" I shook my head, shimmying out of Nathan's arms and recycling the note. "Luke and I have another stash. An emergency one."

"Then North probably found that one, too," Nathan said unsurely, sharing a glance with Kota.

"Nope," I grinned, heading towards the doorway with a skip in my step. "He'd never find this one. It's with my tampons."

At least I wasn't the only one blushing this time.

 **A/N: Once again, I cannot control my writing. Here's the process for this chapter:**

 **Me** : I think I'll start this off with Sang/Nathan waking up and making breakfast together.

 **Fingers in Charge of Typing** : That sounds great!

 **Me:** Okay, let's do this!

 **Fingers** : Oh, it's Sunday. They should be tired.

 **Me** : Oh, okay. I guess they'll cuddle in bed for a bit.

 **Fingers** : Hey, let's make Sang a LION!

 **Me** : Hmm, okay. Can't argue. I love lions. But let's get them off to breakfast now, okay? I have a chapter to write.

 **Fingers** : Let's make them lick each other!

 **Me:** That's totally Gabriel's thing...but I'm not one to judge. Okay, okay. Then we can cook?

 **Fingers** : Maybe a little kissing.

 **Me** : Fine, but Kota is coming over soon, and I have a lot planned for this chapter! A quick peck, and that's it.

 **Fingers** : *types 8 page makeout session*

 **Me:** Well, at least they didn't have sex.

 **Is this what it feels like to be a parent?**


	5. Chapter Four: Splish Splash

**Chapter Four: Splish Splash**

It was far too late to be embarrassed about the way I was shoveling chocolatey pancake goodness into my mouth. It was all I could do to bite back a moan of delight at the flavors. I could eat this for breakfast every single day and never get tired of it.

Never.

"Slow down, sweetie. The pancakes aren't going anywhere," Kota chuckled quietly from his seat next to me.

"But it's _so_ good," I exclaimed after swallowing a large, fluffy bite. "The flavors just explode in my mouth!"

"No matter how good it tastes, I still don't want you to choke," Kota shook his head with a smile before patiently taking a teensy, tiny bite of his own pancake and chewed slowly. My bite was four times the size of his.

"So what are the plans for today, Peanut?" Nathan asked before taking a few gulps of his orange juice. My fork froze halfway to my mouth as I looked towards him. The boys rarely asked me what the plan was; I usually just go with whatever they're doing. Was I supposed to pick things for us to do today?

My mind was drawing a blank.

"Good going, Nate. You broke her," I heard Kota admonish before his hand landed gently on my shoulder. "Breathe, Sang. Wipe that worried look off your face, sweetie. I already have a few things planned for today."

"Oh," I placed a hand over my racing heart, internally scolding myself for getting worked up over something so simple. I brought my fork back down to the plate and took a sip of my frappucino.

"I'm sorry, Peanut," Nathan apologized with a slight wince, but I waved him off.

"It's not your fault, Honey. I just wasn't sure if I was supposed to have something ready," I explained before turning to Kota. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I'm going over to Mr. B's soon to discuss some things before our family meeting this week," Kota explained, setting down the fork and leaning back in his chair. "North had an early shift at the Diner, so he was going to stop by after. Silas might be with him, but Luke has the afternoon shift so you won't see him."

"What do you have to go over for the family meeting?" I asked curiously, picking a piece of chocolate chip out of my pancake and popping it into my mouth.

"Just, uh, stuff," Kota deflected, bringing a finger up to rub his eyebrow. I pulled a face but shrugged it off. I'd find out soon enough anyways. Trust.

"You'll come back over here after you're finished, then?" I guessed, taking another bite of pancake.

"I should be back after dinner," Kota answered, standing up and gathering his dishes. He headed to the sink as Nathan caught my eye and made a funny face. I stuck my tongue out back at him. "Not for long, though, since we have school tomorrow."

"Can't we just skip?" I asked hopefully, flicking a mushed chocolate chip around on my plate. "We'll be gone in one week, anyways. What's the point?"

"We don't want anyone, _especially_ the authorities, asking questions about your transfer," Kota answered as he walked back over to the table. "Besides, it won't be that bad."

"You won't have to worry about Hendricks or McCoy anymore," Nathan added helpfully.

"I guess," I sighed, thinking back to the Biology homework I still hadn't done. Kota didn't need to know about that, though.

"I have to go, but be good for Nathan," Kota said, coming over and placing a kiss on my head.

"Be good?" I echoed, scrunching my nose. "Why aren't you telling Nathan to be good for me?"

"Because I'm always good for you," Nathan smiled cheekily as he stood up and grabbed my empty plate. "Just like oxygen is good for you. And water."

I rolled my eyes. Boys.

"Bye Kota," I whispered, standing up and wrapping my arms around his waist in a loose hug. He'd just gotten here, and it wasn't fair that he already had to leave.

"See you soon, Sang," Kota returned the hug before stepping back and heading out the door. Kota nodded at Nathan, but he didn't get a goodbye hug.

That made me feel special, but I couldn't help giggling at the idea of Kota kissing Nathan's forehead before leaving.

"What now, Peanut?" Nathan asked in confusion when it was just the two of us left in the room. "It's barely 9 AM, and you've already got the giggles."

"It's nothing," I shook my head dismissively, the giggles trailing off. "What do you want to do before North gets here?"

"I think it should be warm enough to swim now. You want to?" Nathan suggested, wiggling his eyebrows goofily. I grinned, nodding my head excitedly before hurrying towards his room to change.

Maybe I could win a few favors before lunch time.

An hour later, I owed Nathan four favors plus the hug he'd already cashed in.

"Do you see the Tin Man?" I asked Nathan hopefully, narrowing my eyes to try and block out the bright sun.

"Nah, but that one kind of looks like a rock," Nathan answered from somewhere above my head as I floated closer to the shallow end. I tried to locate the cloud he was referring to, but a lot of them could've been rocks.

I'd already spotted a high heel shoe, a witch's hat, and the Tin Man. Maybe watching _The Wizard of Oz_ with Victor the other night was influencing my imagination a little bit.

"A rock?" I frowned, kicking lightly as I sailed slowly, weightlessly over the water. "I think you can do better than that, Honey. You already found a blob, a basketball, and an orange."

The water was cool and refreshing, sliding against my sides as I floated along.

"Okay, fine. I guess that one could be Mr. B," Nathan said thoughtfully, his arm brushing against my legs as he drifted past. "If he had boobs and one arm."

"Nathan!" I snorted in surprise, losing my balance and sinking lower into the water. With a sigh, I touched my toes down to the shallow floor and turned to look for Nathan. He was floating a couple feet away, eyes closed as the sun seemed to highlight every nook and cranny of his defined chest.

I tried not to stare, but his closed eyes were making me reckless.

Drops of water glistening against his muscles weren't helping either. The lioness from this morning wanted to find out what they tasted like. Or maybe that was just my own craving.

"What else do you see?" Nathan muttered quietly, barely moving his arms as he floated lazily towards me.

"I see...a very handsome boy," I admired, my lips twitching into a smile as Nathan frowned. He was moving at a snail's pace, so I waded a step closer. "With no boobs and two arms."

"And what's so special about this cloud boy?" Nathan pressed, the frown remaining fixed on his handsome face.

"Well, his hair looks unbelievably soft, and he's got these deep, blue eyes. The kind you could drown in. His shoulders are big and strong. They look perfect for cuddling," I described quietly, stepping forward carefully while trying not to disturb the water around Nathan. He'd stopped moving, floating still in the water as he seemed to almost anticipate my attack. I stepped closer still, leaning over him slightly. "And the best part? He's not a cloud."

"This guy sounds pretty cool," Nathan joked, the frown long gone as his lips twisted into a cocky smile. "Tell me more about him."

I rolled my eyes. And Gabriel complained about girls fishing for compliments? I leaned even closer, surprised when the sunlight revealed a light smattering of freckles across Nathan's cheek. I hadn't noticed those before.

"Well, he also tastes kinda funny," I murmured with my lips a breath away from Nathan's.

"Funny?" Nathan exclaimed, his eyes popping open as my heart jolted. Then the world shifted; one moment I'd been hovering over Nathan and anxious for a kiss, the next I was submerged underwater as Nathan's warm hands pushed down on my shoulders.

After my mind processed the change in scenery, my feet pushed of the pool's floor and I rocketed through the surface.

"Nathan!" I scolded lightly, coughing up a bit of water that'd made it in before I'd managed to close my mouth.

"You looked like you needed to cool off a bit, Peanut," Nathan smiled, wrapping his arms around me as he moved to the pool floor's slope and walked until we were both shoulder-deep in the water.

"I was just joking about you tasting funny," I huffed with an eye roll, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders.

"Damn right you were," Nathan replied, leaning closer to place a warm kiss on the wet corner of my mouth. "And I'm still waiting to hear more about this handsome guy."

"Well, I do know one more thing about him," I said thoughtfully, my legs raising on their own accord to loop around his waist.

"And what's that?" Nathan pressed. He was solid and warm, his chest snug against mine as we waded gently in the water. Swimming had been a great idea.

"He's about to lose a race," I whispered with a grin, wasting no time before I moved my legs so I could kick off his thighs. Nathan's hands skimmed my ankles as I propelled forward, but I'd barely made it six feet before my giggles overtook me.

"Sang," Nathan called through his laughter, his large hand wrapping around my ankle before I could move any further. I kicked and pushed myself as hard as I could, but my body was pulled backwards as Nathan dragged me behind him like a sack of potatoes. "I've got another game we can play."

"Game?" I echoed, stopping my struggles and popping up on my other foot. We were in the shallow end, and I hopped along as Nathan kept pulling my foot.

"Sure, another kind of race," Nathan continued, tugging my ankle as I took another hop forward. "We can do underwater handstands and race around the shallow end."

I looked around the pool, considering it. Nathan's arms were huge, but he had a lot of body weight to hold up. The water would help with that, but that didn't necessarily mean he'd move faster than me in the water.

I stood a chance.

"I'm in!" I grinned, bouncing on the ball of my foot. "Winner gets a favor, right?"

"Of course," Nathan smiled with an eye roll, letting go of my ankle once we reached the stairs. "And I already know what I'm going to pick."

"You mean when I give you options for my favor?" I asked sweetly, my grin widening.

"Get your cute, little head underwater before I decide to kiss that smart-ass mouth silly," Nathan's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward in the water.

"I'm pretty sure threats are supposed to involve things the person _wouldn't_ want to happen, Honey," I said back, copying his movements.

"I'm just trying to give you a chance, Peanut. Kissing you senseless before a race would be bad sportsmanship," Nathan retorted. "How about twice around the shallow end, sticking as close to the wall as possible? First one to hit the stairs after two laps is crowned the winner."

"It's a good thing a crown won't fit your big head," I chirped, planting my feet against the wall of the pool as Nathan's jaw dropped.

"My head is _not-_ " the rest of Nathan's words were cut off as I zoomed forward, getting as much distance as I could in one dive. My hands hit the hard floor and I kept up the momentum, awkwardly kicking my legs up as I tried to form a handstand.

Bubbles started to clear from around me as I moved forward, starting a steady pace with my hands slapping against the floor. My legs wobbled unsteadily, trying to balance as my pace picked up speed.

It was mere seconds later that Nathan's hand appeared next to mine, fingers extended and knuckles pale as he pushed hard against the floor. I reached over, balancing on one hand while trying to grab him. There was no shirt to grip, and my fingers slid right off his slippery skin.

We both moved forward, following the pool's wall as it curved slightly and my lungs started to burn. My legs came down, feet pushing against the floor as I shot up through the water's surface. I gasped a few deep breaths, not daring to look around the pool to see how far I'd gotten, but zoning in on Nathan's legs lumbering high in the air five feet in front of me.

I dove back in, pushing my legs up to be as straight as possible, pointing my toes as I hurried along in the water. Nathan must've taken his own break for air because I caught up to his swift hands in no time. We were neck and neck, rushing forward as I blew bubbles out of my nose and tried to ration my oxygen.

Then it happened again, for the second time that day. One moment I was surrounded by water and inching into the lead, the next I was weightless as my hands paddled uselessly against the open air.

My lungs gasped for air, water dripping down my body and over my mouth as I hung upside down above the water.

"Wha-" I gasped, blinking to get the endless stream of water out of my eyes and tilting my head to look up.

Water dripped into my nose.

"Are you hungry, Sang Baby?" North asked without preamble, one arm held out as he gripped my ankle. I blinked back at his serious face, still unsure of my current position. North had just plucked me out of the pool like a feather from a chicken, asking if I wanted food.

So much for that favor.

"Um, no?" I answered unsurely.

"Baby, it's almost lunch time. You need to eat," North replied, and I wondered what the point of asking me first was. "Sandwiches or barbecue?"

"Uh, sandwiches?" I responded, wiping my eyes with both hands and picking at the hair sticking to my face. I hadn't meant for it to sound like a question, but the blood was rushing to my head and I still wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

"Good. Silas and I will get some ready," North answered, my body swinging a bit to the side as he looked over his shoulder.

"And Sang?" North asked, swinging me lightly again as he turned back.

"Yes, North?" I asked, tilting my head forward to look up at him. The sun was shining brightly behind him, and I had to squint in order to see the handsome smirk sliding onto his face.

"Maybe this'll teach you not to cheat during a race next time," North scolded lightly before I was dropped unceremoniously back into the water with a splash.

The water accepted me with open arms as I sank to the bottom with an internal sigh. Toned, slightly hairy legs walked up in front of me, and even his toes seemed to be wiggling in victory.

I waited until there was no air left in my lungs before I pushed off the pool's floor and braced myself for his gloating.

"Where's my crown, Peanut?" Nathan's cheeky grin met me as I surfaced in the water again. I coughed slightly, the tickle of water going down the wrong pipe once again taking me by surprise.

"One of these days I'm going to beat you a thousand times, and I'll be calling in all the favors," I responded with a sigh, shaking my head in defeat.

"Until then, I'll enjoy collecting my kisses," Nathan whispered, leaning closer and placing a chaste kiss on my lips. My returning smile was inevitable, but the way he smiled at me warmed my body all the way down to my toes and I couldn't help it. I grabbed his hand, slipping my fingers between each of his as I leaned a little closer.

"That's a shame, because my favor would've involved a little more tongue," I whispered back, grinning as my face flushed. The blush was unavoidable, but that didn't mean I couldn't try and flirt back.

"Sang," Nathan groaned playfully, his voice light with laughter. I giggled, too, partially in embarrassment but mostly because it wasn't just the water making me feel weightless.

I squeezed the hand entwined with mine, tugging him towards the pool stairs. North and Silas were inside, and I wanted to spend time with all three of them together.

"Don't look so excited, Peanut," Nathan laughed behind me, but he hurried along so I didn't have to tug too hard. "Knowing North, these sandwiches will either consist of a single piece of lettuce between two slices of whole-grain bread, or the entire body of a cow slabbed on wheat."

"North always makes delicious food, Nathan," I replied positively, deciding not to mention the last omelette North had made for me. It'd consisted of all egg whites and a smidge of green peppers.

It was the first omelette I'd ever had that wasn't yellow.

There wasn't even a speck of cheese, but the side of sausage he'd given me was enough to feed an entire professional football team.

Nathan and I walked up the steps, arms swinging between us as we continued to the sliding door. I saw a large shadow pass by the door before it slid open and Silas's grin stole my attention.

"Silas!" I squealed, running the remaining few feet into his open arms.

" _Aggele,_ " Silas's warm voice reverberated through me, his arms scooping me up as my ankles hooked together reflexively behind his back.

The ocean invaded my senses, filling me with peace as Silas's steady heartbeat thrummed against my ear.

"You missed me?" Silas murmured, his voice laced with a sense of satisfaction.

"I missed you," I agreed, squeezing my giant tighter as he turned around and walked through the door. The air conditioning was cold against my dripping skin, and I was grateful for Silas's warmth as he toted me along like a human fannypack. The mental image made me giggle, and Silas's hands tightened slightly against my bum.

"Why don't you go dry off and change?" Silas offered as we entered the kitchen. "North and I are almost finished with lunch."

"Okay," I agreed, giving him another squeeze before hopping down and shuffling towards the hall.

"Meet us outside when you're ready!" North called after me in his deep voice, and I bit back a smile.

I slipped into Nathan's bathroom, quickly shedding my swimsuit and hopping into the shower. I washed long enough to get the chlorine out of my hair, before drying off and padding into Nathan's closet in my towel. While pulling on some underwear and jean shorts, I eyed the different shirts Gabriel had lined up before grabbing a light pink cami off its hanger. The sun was getting higher in the sky, and it would only get hotter this afternoon.

I struggled into the cami, trying to hurry as I almost skipped down the hallway back to the kitchen.

It was deserted, as expected, and I continued through the sliding door where Silas and North's laughter met my ears.

"Baby, come eat," North called from his spot on a lounge chair. I walked over before climbing onto the open spot of cushion beside North's feet. He handed me a plate full of some sort of turkey sandwich, carrots, and strawberries. My mouth watered slightly as Silas handed me a glass of pink lemonade.

"Thank you, this looks amazing," I beamed at both boys while setting the glass down on the ground in front of me. Silas was on the lounge seat next to us, but Nathan was nowhere to be found. "Where did Nathan go?"

"The kitchen phone rang while you were in the shower," Silas answered after chewing on a piece of cantaloupe. "He's still on the line."

I frowned, wondering if it was Nathan's dad.

"Don't worry about him, Sang," Silas said with a small smile. "Not everything is a disaster. It's just a phone call, and he'll let us know if something is wrong."

"It could just be the fucking cable company," North snorted before taking a big bite of his sandwich.

"You're right, it's just so easy to worry sometimes. With all of the trouble we get into..." I trailed off with a sigh, taking a bit of my own sandwich. Turkey, avocado, and swiss burst with flavor in my mouth, and I sighed again. A happy, content sigh.

"You mean all of the trouble we follow you into," North grinned, setting down his empty plate. He'd inhaled his food, and I'd only taken one bite so far.

"Same thing," I dismissed, popping a strawberry in my mouth as North stretched both arms arms high above his head. My eyes tracked the movement with interest. "How was the Diner this morning?"

"It was work," North shrugged, leaning down to pick up a baseball that was lying in the grass beside the patio. I watched him lightly toss it up before catching it in the same hand. "The place is getting busier, and weekends are pretty packed."

"Do you need more people to come work?" I asked, perking up at the possibility of working at the Diner again. It'd been a couple weeks since I'd gotten to, with the whole Ashley Waters fiasco and the boys keeping me busy.

"Baby, I don't understand why you'd _want_ to work at the Diner," North said, his brow crinkling in confusion as the ball flew back into the air and landed in his other hand. "You don't have to."

"It's fun," I assured him quickly, watching as Silas signalled towards North. He sent the ball flying towards Silas, who caught it easily. "I like working the register and helping Luke get drinks."

The boys started a soft game of catch as I nibbled on my sandwich. It was so nice out, with a soft breeze brushing my hair back and forth against my back. I was anxious for Nathan to join us, and excited at the possibility of North and Silas maybe joining in for a swim.

"What do you guys want to do?" I asked, biting into one last strawberry before pushing my plate away. I crossed two fingers behind my back, hoping they'd say take a dip in the pool.

Silas caught the ball, turning towards me with a grin and that curious light shining in his eyes.

"Have you ever played baseball, _Aggele_?"

 **A/N: I'm sorry! I know I'm the worst updater...but reviews are great motivation, yeah? :)**


	6. Chapter Five: Nurse Sang

**IMPORTANT A/N (Really!): If you guys have read 18 Minutes in Heaven and my Author Notes there, you'll know that the majority of one-shots are actually some FUTURE SCENES for** ** _Surviving Sang_** **that I was too impatient to wait for.**

 **So if you get a sense of deja vu during this scene, it might be because you've already read it. :) (However, I did make a good number of changes between the one-shot and here so things would flow better.)**

 **Chapter Five: Nurse Sang**

"I really do not agree with this, Silas," North grumbled from his spot on the porch steps, fifteen minutes later. I rolled my eyes.

"North, you can say it one hundred different ways, man, but she's going to do it," Silas chuckled from beside me. I beamed at him and adjusted my grip on the baseball bat.

"Yes, North Star. Just because you stopped cursing or huffing and puffing doesn't mean I'm going to let you stop my fun," I smiled at him before turning back to Silas excitedly. "Can we start now?"

We'd just spent ages convincing North to let us play and going over the mechanics of swinging. I was tired of wasting time.

" _Aggele_ , you're going to need to stop bouncing around," Silas laughed, taking a few steps away from me as we both heard North grunt. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" I practically shouted, crouching a little like he showed me earlier and hiking up my grip. Silas walked further away to a bucket sitting in the grass. Nathan was still missing in action, but I tried not to worry too much.

"I still think she should start with T-Ball," North argued stubbornly. I turned and smiled at him fondly, shaking my head. "What, Sang Baby? Even Silas and I started out with T-Ball!"

"I'm not four years old, North," I gave him a stern look before turning back to my Superman. "Ready!"

"Okay. I'm going to throw the ball underhand first, _Aggele_ ," Silas warned me. "It'll arch up a bit, then come back down in front of you. Keep your eye on it, and don't swing too early. I know how impatient you are."

"Just throw the ball, Silas!" I grinned, wiggling the bat behind me. I placed my feet like Silas instructed and focused all of my attention on the ball in his hand. This would usually be difficult for me, with two handsome boys that I would much rather be looking at, but I was anxious to give baseball a try and I wanted them to be proud of me.

The bat was wooden and smooth beneath my touch, but that didn't stop North from making me wear batting gloves to avoid splinters.

I was pretty sure that wasn't the actual purpose of real batting gloves, but I didn't want to question North when he was already so grumpy.

The gloves were light pink. Of course. While I love how much the boys take my favorite color into consideration, sometimes it makes me feel incredibly girly next to them. I already feel feminine enough, considering how masculine they all are. At times I feel like I should be embarrassed, but pink is my color as much as black is North's.

I also had enough pink now to be Pepto's mascot.

Then again, North had adamantly tried to make me wear his motorcycle helmet for this, so I suppose I was getting off lightly with just the gloves.

"Okay, _Aggele_. Eyes on the ball!" Silas called, pulling his arm back before bringing it forward and tossing the baseball towards me. It soared through the air, and I watched it with anticipation. My grip tightened almost painfully on the bat, and I tried to mimic what Silas taught me as the ball rushed closer. I took a step forward while bringing the bat around in a slow swing.

 _Woosh._

I missed.

"Oh," I frowned, glaring at the ball as it rolled back towards me after bouncing off the fence.

"Relax, _Aggele_ ," Silas looked at me, his eyes glinting with amusement that made my frown falter. "It was your first swing. You'll get the hang of it in no time."

"Or you can stop now, and we can go back inside," North grumbled. He was still slumped against the porch steps beside the pool, looking like his car had just been totaled. "We can watch _The Rookie_ , and you can get your fill of baseball."

"North Star, don't you wanna play, too?" I asked, pointedly ignoring his suggestion. He's always playing some form of sports with Silas, I was surprised he was sitting out instead of joining us.

"Does it mean I can take your spot, and you'll sit out?" North asked hopefully. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fine, don't play," I responded lightly, tilting my chin up and turning back to Silas. He picked another ball out of the bucket next to him, and I got my stance ready.

"Here we go, _Aggele_ ," Silas smiled, throwing the ball up. I fidgeted in anticipation again, kept my eye on the ball, and tried to swing faster.

Nothing.

The stupid ball hit off the fence again and rolled back towards me mockingly.

I heard Silas's deep laughter and turned to see even North cracking a smile.

"What?" I asked self-consciously, my finger finding its way to my lip. I didn't see anything funny happen. Were they laughing at me? Was I that bad at baseball?

"Nothing, Sang. Don't look so scared," Silas said through chuckles as he stopped laughing.

"You just do the cutest wiggle with your ass before you swing," North smirked, his eyes flicking down before his smirk widened.

"What?" I exclaimed, my eyes bugging out as my free hand went down to cover my bum self-conciously. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do, _Aggele_ ," Silas laughed, pulling another ball out of the bucket.

"No, I was just swaying back and forth to keep on the balls of my feet, like you showed me!" I tried to reason as I frowned.

"You did that, too, Aggele. But we're talking about when the ball was in the air and before you swung. You wiggled your pretty little ass both times," Silas grinned widely.

"Like a little dog waiting for a treat," North snorted, causing me to huff at them.

"Throw another one, Silas!" I ordered, cutting off their teasing.

"Yes, ma'am," Silas's grin turned cheeky as he got into position. I tightened my grip on the bat, absolutely determined to hit the ball this time. I zoned in on the ball and tried to forget everything else going on, including Silas's smirk as he flipped the ball over in his hand.

With a wink, he tossed the ball towards me and I grudgingly noticed that my hips were wiggling a bit as I waited for the ball to get closer. Pulling back the bat and stepping forward, I swung with every bit of strength I had in me. An embarrassing grunt escaped my lips, but I was too busy concentrating on that stupid ball to really care.

It was all worth it when I felt the bat vibrate in my hands and heard a satisfying _clunk._

I was so happy that I'd made contact with the ball that my hands loosened their grip as I finished the forceful swing. My body jolted forward with the extra momentum, but I was able to right myself after a quick stumble.

I wish I could say the same for the bat.

My eyes shot up, watching in dawning horror as the bat helplessly flew out of my hands and rotated in the air a couple times before finding its target.

There was another _clunk._

That one didn't feel nearly as satisfying.

"North!" Silas bellowed from the grass a dozen feet in front of me. "γαμώ!"

I stood frozen in the grass as Silas ran towards an unmoving North who was slumped, unmoving against the porch steps.

"Oh my god," I whispered frantically, getting my butt into gear and racing towards the boys.

"North. Hey! Wake up, man," Silas barked, lightly slapping North's face as he leaned over him. I wasn't sure if slapping was very helpful or safe at the moment, but I'm not a doctor.

"North!" I squeaked, kneeling down on his other side. My fingers were shaking as they hovered an inch over his shoulder. "Is he okay, Silas? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-"

"Relax, Sang," Silas cut me off and put his hands under North's shoulders, lifting his upper body off the ground. "Greenline Dr. Green and see if he can get here. Open the door for me, please."

"Okay!" I answered quickly, fumbling my phone out of my bra and running towards the door. Silas was dragging North behind me as I opened both the door and Dr. Green's app. I couldn't see North's face from here, but his head was lolled to the side and his body was limp. My heart squeezed painfully as Silas pulled him through the doorway.

"Nathan!" Silas bellowed into the house as Dr. Green's phone rang a second time.

"Pick up, Dr. Sean! Pick up," I mumbled anxiously as I raced behind Silas and North into the living room. Silas quickly heaved North onto the couch in a sitting position and laid his head against the back of it. I cringed when I saw the huge, red knot on the left side of North's forehead.

I'd done that.

I'd hurt somebody that I love.

"Pookie!" Dr. Green interrupted my thoughts as he answered the call. "Everything alright, sweetie? I was on a call with Owen when yours-"

"Dr. Sean! North's been hurt!" I exclaimed over the lump in my throat. "Please hurry, we're at Nathan's. I don't know what to-"

"Relax, Sang," Dr. Green interrupted me calmly, his voice losing any teasing. "I'm heading out to my car right now. What happened? Is North bleeding? Slurring words? Is he conscious?"

"He's not conscious, Dr. Sean!" I answered, my heartbeat speeding up as I looked at North passed out on the couch. Silas had disappeared into the kitchen, and I heard him yelling for Nathan again. "I'm so, so sorry. I hit him with a baseball bat!"

There was a short pause where the only sounds being heard on our line were my heavy breathing and soft whimpers.

"You hit him with a baseball bat?" Dr. Green's voice echoed in disbelief. "I'm sorry. Did I hear you correctly, Pookie?"

"Yes, but it was an accident!" I cried, taking a deep breath and hesitantly perching myself on the couch next to North's head. I gingerly touched his cheek, willing him to be okay. "I promise, I didn't mean to hurt him. We were just-"

"It's okay, Sang. Calm down," Dr. Green's soothing voice came through the phone, and I took another deep breath but didn't lose any of the tension in my shoulders. "What's important now is to get North to wake up. Where did the baseball bat hit him? Is it a head injury?"

"Yes, I hit him on the head," I whispered back, gently stroking North's hair away from the injury. It was a big, angry looking lump that seemed alien on his handsome face. I hated it.

" _Aggele,_ move over a little," Silas instructed as he hurried back into the room. He had a big cup in his hand and Nathan was following quickly on his heels.

"Peanut, what-oh shit!" Nathan cursed when he noticed the state North was in. My eyes watered as I saw both boys' worried expressions, but I tried to stop myself from crumbling into a sobbing mess. Turning back to North, I focused on what Dr. Green was rambling about on the phone.

"-then make sure he doesn't move, if possible. Head injuries are incredibly complex, and we may not know what we're dealing with right away," Dr. Green continued when I tuned back into his voice.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Sean," I choked as I scooted back a little from North after Silas told me to. Nathan stuck a towel under North's head, then stepped back and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I missed everything you just said!"

"Don't worry, Sang. I'm almost there," Dr. Green answered calmly, soothingly. "I was mostly trying to distract you, anyways. Who else is there with you?"

As Nathan rubbed my shoulder, Silas took the cup in his hand and turned it upside down over North. Water splashed over his face, and he surged forward on the couch in a furious, spluttering mess. I'm not sure if that's what Dr. Sean meant by waking him up, but I didn't care. North was awake!

"What the fuck, Si!" North roared when he saw Silas standing over him. Gasping, North wiped the water off his face before glaring at us. "Why did you-oh fuck!"

North bent over on the couch and grasped his head with both hands. I rushed closer and sat next to him, putting an arm lightly around his back.

"Calm down, North," Silas ordered, putting his hand on North's other shoulder. "You've got a head injury. You shouldn't be moving at all right now."

"So you poured ice, cold water on me?" North retorted, his voice much quieter but just as angry. "Asshole."

"North, I'm so sorry," I mumbled helplessly, rubbing his arm with my other hand. "I accidentally let go of the baseball bat..."

"Shit, Sang baby," North grumbled, rubbing a couple fingers over his temple and taking notice of the lump.

"Doc?" Nathan asked behind me, making me realize I'd forgotten about the phone call. "Yeah, they're okay. She dropped the phone when he woke up. How far out are you?"

Nathan continued talking to Dr. Sean while Silas sat by North and kept looking at him with concern. I felt so guilty for causing North's pain and everyone's worry. Gabriel was right to nickname me Trouble.

"Fuck, get me some ice," North ordered through clenched teeth, his eyes squeezed shut tightly. "And painkillers."

"Okay!" I squeaked while jumping off of the couch, but Silas just motioned for me to sit back down as Nathan and him headed for the kitchen. I hesitated before perching back on the sofa next to North.

"I'm so sorry, North Star," I whispered, slowly rubbing my hand up and down his back.

"Stop apologizing, Sang Baby," North sighed, eyes still closed. "You didn't do it on purpose. Just promise me you'll never play baseball again."

"No more baseball," I agreed quickly, until I remembered how fun it had been to hit the ball. "At least not unless everyone is wearing a helmet."

North just grunted in response.

Silas rounded the corner with a bag of ice in one hand and a pill bottle in the other. He was moving so quickly on his feet, I zoned out for a moment and just watched him. I'd never seen Silas move so fast unless he was doing hours with the others.

Silas was speaking to North in Greek, and North was grumbling back to him. I had no idea what they were saying, so I just sat there and tried to be comforting for North as we waited.

"North?" The front door slammed open, and I almost cried in relief at seeing Dr. Sean there. He had a big, red bag with him as he hustled over to us. "Tell me what's going on with you, North."

"Killer headache. Lights seem brighter, and everything is louder. Honestly, I've had worse hangovers. Already took four advil," North muttered to Dr. Sean, still rubbing his temples with both hands. I trailed my hand in a circle on his lower back, but his muscles stayed tense under my touch.

"First off, that is way above the recommended dose," Dr. Sean rolled his eyes in exasperation, and I took it as a good sign that he was joking around. Dr. Sean brought out a light stick and shined it in North's eyes, then he gingerly touched the bump as North winced.

"Is he going to be okay, Dr. Sean?" I asked softly while looking at North, trying to keep my voice quieter for him. I saw Dr. Sean move in the corner of my eye and turned to see him looking at me. He smiled before putting the light stick back in his bag.

"I think there's only one thing that will heal him, Pookie," Dr. Sean said gravely, zipping up the bag. My eyes widened with worry at his tone.

"What, painkillers?" I asked quickly, looking at the bottle in North's hand. "More ice?"

"No no, but those will definitely help," Dr. Sean said, turning towards me with a beaming smile. "However, I would prescribe a kiss for my patient."

"A kiss?" I let out a surprised giggle at the suggestion, looking at North to see him rolling his eyes. "Are you going to kiss him, Dr. Sean?"

"Oh fuck no," North grunted, leaning further back on the couch and closing his eyes.

"As sure as I am that North would appreciate that, everyone knows the best healing kisses come from nurses," Dr. Sean said wisely, winking at me and standing up with his bag. "Nurse Sang?"

I smiled at Dr. Sean before looking back at North, who was still resting his eyes on the couch. His hands were placed on his stomach now, and it looked like he was trying hard to keep his breathing even. I scooted closer a bit and leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on the bump.

North cracked one eye open as I leaned back and he said, "You missed. My lips are down here."

His face was decidedly grumpy, but I think this is the closest I've even seen North to pouting.

Unable to deny the boy anything he asked, I leaned forward again with a new target. North's features were still strained, his jaw tight with tension, so I placed a soft kiss on his bottom lip before leaning back.

"I was kissing your boo-boo, North," I smiled, sitting back on my heels. He snorted as I looked over to see Dr. Sean and Silas walking into the kitchen. Dr. Sean looked back, his eyes meeting mine with a wink before disappearing. Nathan was still missing, and I wondered where they went off to.

"Boo-boo? You're lucky you're cute, Sang," North sighed, grabbing a pillow from his other side and wedging it between his head and the couch. "If anyone else said that, they'd be the one unconcious."

"I know you're mad at me, North," I told him, picking up one of his hands and weaving my fingers through it. He was probably tempted to knock something unconscious right now. "But I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"I'm not mad, Sang baby," North opened his eyes to look straight at me. "It was an accident. The only way I'd be mad was if _you'd_ gotten hurt after I asked you not to play."

"I'm going to get hurt sometimes, North," I reasoned, frowning a bit at him. "Even during times when we're having fun, like batting practice."

"And I'm going to get mad when it happens," North said so matter-of-factly, I had to smile. "Anyways, how's Silas doing?"

"Oh, he's okay," I answered, a little confused. "He was terribly worried about you, but I think he's calmed down now. He kept cursing in Greek. At least I think it was curse words?"

"Yeah, but how's his shoulder?" North muttered, leaning back on the couch and looking back at me with tired eyes. The way his eyelids sat slightly hooded over his big, brown eyes was so similar to his bedroom eyes, that I had to take a moment to breath and let my brain catch up.

"His shoulder?" I breathed out, licking my suddenly dry lips. North, reading my reaction as all the boys seemed to have a gift for, had a sly smirk slide onto his face.

"Yeah, baby. Before I was knocked out, I remember seeing the ball hit him in the shoulder," he answered casually as my brain finally caught up to the conversation.

"I hit him?" I yelped, my jaw dropping slightly as I scrambled off the couch.

"Ouch," North cringed, hands flying up to his head. "Not so loud, baby."

"Silas!" I called as loudly as I could without squeaking, rushing out of the room and towards the kitchen. Turning the corner, I spotted Silas sitting shirtless at the table as Nathan held a bag of ice to his shoulder and Dr. Sean handed him a glass of water and pills. My stomach clenched.

"Pookie, I'm going to need to ask you to go a little easier on our team members," Dr. Sean teased, stepping away from Silas and walking towards me. His arms embraced me in a warm hug as I remained frozen. I just stood there and gaped at Silas's shoulder, where a circular bruise was starting to form. "At this rate, we'll all be out of commision in a few hours."

"Silas!" I repeated from Dr. Sean's hold, then stopped to clear my throat. "Are you okay, Superman?"

" _Aggele,_ I don't even feel it," Silas shrugged, looking almost bored. Nathan glared at him as he re-adjusted the ice pack, but Silas didn't seem to notice as he smiled at me. "This is nothing compared to football."

"But Silas, you're bruised!" I argued, gripping Dr. Sean's forearm with both hands. "It must hurt. Can I get you something? Maybe a rice pack or some pudding?"

"Really, _Aggele,_ I'm fine," Silas smiled fondly, before his grin widened. "Actually, now that you mention it...maybe a kiss will make me feel better?"

I looked over him once to make sure he didn't look to be in real pain, and maybe to get another glance at his bare torso, then giggled once I realized he felt well enough to joke.

"Pookie! The patients need their rest, and your giggling won't allow that. It'd be my doctorly duty to silence you," Dr. Sean grinned down at me with a raised eyebrow before letting go of my waist and nudging me towards Silas. "Now go give the patient his medicine."

I cautiously inched over to Silas as Nathan removed the ice pack. The bruise was turning yellow and puffy, and my smile faltered. As I leaned in to peck it, Silas gently grabbed my cheeks and pulled me towards him.

His lips crashed down on mine, and my eyes flew wide open in surprise. Silas didn't seem to care that I was frozen solid as his hands drifted slowly down my neck and along my arms. After a beat, my eyes drifted closed as I melted into the kiss. His arms wrapped around me as those heavenly lips moved sensually against mine, and everything else floated away. Silas's kisses were always so passionate and intense, usually all I could do was try and hold on for the ride.

I felt so small as I climbed up onto his lap and one of his hands lowered to my thigh as the other pushed on my lower back. I was flush against him, straddling him in the chair and holding his broad, bare shoulders for support. I belatedly realized the shoulder I was gripping had an injury, but he didn't even flinch as I let go and grabbed his upper arm instead.

Silas deepened the kiss, tracing both my lips with his tongue before plunging it into my mouth. I almost wanted to beg him to slow down because I couldn't keep up, but I just opened my mouth further as he explored every corner. The moan I let out was unintentional and a little embarrassing, but Silas seemed to feed off of it as he groaned in return.

I started to push myself against him, craving any sort of friction, and his hands gripped my hips to help me move. Opening my eyes and tilting our heads slightly, I looked around the room and relaxed when I saw it was deserted.

The boys had gotten comfortable with a little kissing in front of each other over the past few months, but I'm sure dry humping in the kitchen was toeing the line of acceptable behavior.

I turned my attention fully back to Silas has he nipped my bottom lip, moving his lips against mine in that deliciously European way of his. I had no idea there could be so many different types of kissing, but I was anxious to learn all of them.

His tongue parted my lips again, and all I could do was bring my hands up to tangle in his hair as I sucked on his tongue. His chest rumbled in response against mine, which sent butterflies airborne in my stomach.

"Yes," Silas breathed out as we broke apart, both panting for air. He stilled our hips, and I tucked my head into his neck as his arms surrounded me in a Silas hug. I wanted more, but in the middle of the kitchen while North possibly had a concussion in the next room was not the time for it. "That definitely made me feel better."

 **A/N: Thanks soo much for reading. It really makes my day to know that people enjoy what I'm obsessed with..(the GB boys!)**


	7. Chapter Six: Possible Side Effects

Chapter Six: Possibly Side Effects

After Silas insisted on a few more healing kisses to make him feel better, we found Dr. Sean, North, and Nathan lounging in the family room.

Fortunately, Silas was still icing his shoulder so he hadn't bothered to put his shirt back on yet. I tried not to let my hungry eyes be too obvious when sneaking glances at his bare chest, but I'm pretty sure he knew after the second time he had to repeat himself.

"All better, Silas?" Dr. Sean asked, with a grin that was too cheeky for my liking, from his spot on the couch. After sending the doctor a quick warning look, I let go of Silas's hand and headed to where North appeared to be sleeping next to Sean.

"I feel like a new man, Doc," Silas answered smugly as I gently sat down next to North. An ice pack was sitting on the bump, and the muscles around his closed eyes looked tense.

"How's he doing?" I whispered, leaning over a motionless North to try and see around the icepack. I couldn't see any part of the bump, but his mouth was pinched into a firm line.

"Peachy," North grunted, his eyes snapping open so fast I almost lost my balance on the couch. I couldn't contain my gasp, one hand moving over my heart to try and calm its rapid beating.

"North," I scolded lightly, bringing a hand up to hover over his arm. "Can I get you anything? Maybe a blanket or hot chocolate? More painkillers?"

"Pookie, North has had enough advil to make a two thousand pound bull not feel his own castration," Dr. Sean snorted before standing up and wiping both hands on his slacks. "But it looks like these two are in good hands, and I better head out for my shift at the Hospital."

"You're working today?" My frown deepened. "I was hoping you could stay for dinner."

"Patients don't heal themselves, Pumpkin," Sean grinned, his eyes twinkling as he held out his hand, palm up, towards me. "Walk me to the door?"

"No," North objected with a frown, one of his large hands coming down to rest on my thigh. "I'm injured, Sang. Don't leave me."

"Shove off, North," Nathan laughed, his eyes not leaving the racing game he was playing. "You got a little bump, not a bulletwound. Don't think you can just milk more special treatment out of Sang."

It was too late, I was already leaning over North again, rubbing one hand over his shoulder while combing another through his hair as soothingly as possible. North's eyes closed at the contact, and he sank deeper into the couch.

I may have imagined it, but I could've sworn he purred.

"Nu uh, Pumpkin!" Dr. Sean objected before arms wrapped around my waist and I was pulled off the couch. "I'm calling dibs on you for two minutes."

"Careful, Dr. Sean," I warned as he waddled towards the foyer with me dangling in front of him. "You probably don't want to get too close to me while I'm cursed, or you might end up with a black eye."

"Now, now. Don't tempt me, Sang," Dr. Sean chuckled, swinging my legs side to side as we reached the front door and he set me down. "I'm far too jealous of the injured boys already."

"Jealous?" I echoed softly, turning around to see his handsome face grinning back at me. "Are you some sort of masochist, Dr. Sean?"

"Masochist? Dear Lord, no," Dr. Sean shook his head, settling his steady hands on my hips. "However, I've always been a fan of preventive medicine."

"Is that so?" I asked quietly, resting my hands on his stomach.

"I'm afraid it is, my darling Sang," Dr. Sean grinned, his face lighting up with boyish happiness. "I read somewhere, or maybe heard some wise old saying, that an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

"Must be a myth," I shook my head, fighting a smile. "I had an apple this morning, and I've already had one run in with a doctor today."

"Must've been a fluke," Dr. Sean reasoned while scrunching his nose. It made his face look so cute, I wanted to eat him right up. "Though I'm positive it would take more than digesting an apple to keep me away from my Pookie."

"Well, I'd sure hope so," I nodded along somberly.

"But besides this wise saying with apples, which I've since discovered lacks any form of standing in the medical community, I've found my own theory regarding preventive health," Dr. Sean continued, and I really was trying to ignore the way his thumbs snuck under my tank top and started tracing along the skin there.

"And what did you decide?" I asked, taking an instinctive step back as Dr. Sean stepped forward. We repeated the process again, until my back was against Nathan's front door, and I swallowed against the lump in my throat.

"I found this new remedy," Sean explained playfully, his green eyes sparkling down at me. "It's risky, and purely experimental at this point. There's no conclusive proof of it's success rate, but I'm convinced it'll be the new miracle drug. Of course, there will need to be multiple studies done. Extensive studies. Lots of testing. Very _rigorous_ testing. Very hands on, rigorous-"

"Shut up and kiss me, Sean," I giggled, tugging lightly on his button-down shirt.

That was all the encouragement he needed, and I didn't even have time to blink before his lips covered mine with the sole mission of making me forget my own name.

It was working.

I moved my lips against Sean's as he tilted his head to get a better angle. Keeping one hand clutching his shirt, I let the other slide up his chest to explore. The feeling of his pillow soft lips against mine, moving in a rhythm that matched the increasing beat of my pulse, was completely overwhelming as I vaguely tried to stop myself from melting into a puddle at his feet.

I yielded to his lips, taking my prompts from him as Sean's teeth snuck out to nibble on my lower lip. I needed to be closer, so I brought both hands up to thread through his playful curls. I combed through the tendrils near his nape, holding on for some form of stability as Sean's tongue swiped playfully against my lips and I opened for him.

I might as well have waved a white flag from the way Sean's arms snuck around my waist and gripped me tightly. His tongue swept in, taking no prisoners as he explored and mapped out every crevice and corner he could reach. I was submerged in a flurry of feelings, my stomach was glowing with warmth when his chest rumbled with a groan, and I so badly wanted to ask Sean if we could sit down because it felt like my legs were taking an extended vacation from doing anything useful, like holding me up.

Right when my brain was on the precipice of turning into a pile of mush, Sean pulled back slightly as we both gasped for air. But his lips didn't quit, planting themselves against the corner of my quivering lips before moving up my cheek with chaste pecks. I had to consciously unclench my fingers from his hair, my stomach fluttering at the sigh that escaped him when I let go.

"Mmm, I have discovered one downside to this new miracle drug, though," Sean mused as he pulled back, his eyes opening slightly to look down at me. His voice had come out hoarser than usual, and he cleared his throat while his eyes didn't leave mine.

"And what's that?" I prompted breathlessly, licking my lips and enjoying the taste of Sean that he left behind.

"It's proving to be highly addictive," he answered, swollen lips sliding into a mischievous grin. "Side effects also include dopey smiles, inappropriate daydreams, and sensitivity to giggles."

"It sounds serious," I forced myself to frown in order to stop my giggles from escaping. "It almost sounds like this preventive medicine isn't worth all the trouble."

"Oh, she's worth everything," Sean assured me, dipping his head down for another long, sweet kiss before pulling back. He shook his head cutely, as if to clear it, and I couldn't fight my smile anymore. "Now it's been an eventful afternoon for everyone, so get some rest today, Pookie. Doctor's orders."

"And you get some rest after your shift today, Sean. Nurse's orders," I smiled back, twisting the doorknob beside me as Sean pulled back with a grin.

"And no more injuring my brothers, Sang," Sean instructed teasingly as he started out the door, lingering on the threshold. "We don't want to ground you again."

"I'll see what I can do, but no promises," I rolled my eyes, lightly shoving Sean through the doorway. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dr. Sean."

"Until then, Nurse Sang," he winked before turning around and strolling down the sidewalk, hands in his pockets as he began whistling. I shook my head at the silly man before closing Nathan's front door with a sigh.

The butterflies in my stomach were still fluttering like crazy from that kiss. I took a moment to straighten my shirt, knowing the boys would be considerate enough not to comment on my flushed face or swollen lips, but I didn't want to throw it in their faces by looking like a rumpled mess.

I took a deep breath to compose myself, but before I could even take one step towards the family room the front door flew open with enough force to startle a yelp out of me.

"Shit, Sang!" Gabriel exclaimed with wide eyes, barely stopping himself from barreling me down as he came flying through the door. "I didn't realize you were creeping right behind the door. Sorry, Trouble."

"It's okay," I choked out, rubbing a hand over my heart as it calmed down. "You just startled me a little."

"Yeah, no shit," Gabriel snorted, grabbing my shoulders and smacking a kiss on my cheek before tugging on my arm and heading into the family room. "Why's it so quiet in here?"

"Well, we had a bit of an...accident," I started hesitantly, wincing as we rounded the corner and it looked like the other boys hadn't moved an inch since Sean and I had left the room.

"What the flying fuck happened here?" Gabriel gaped, his eyes flying from a motionless North who had his eyes closed to Silas icing his shoulder, before landing on Nathan trying to stifle his laughter. "Please don't tell me you two geniuses got into a fight."

I blushed as Nathan snorted, realizing that North's bump and Silas's bruise could give off the wrong impression.

"Why don't you ask Sang?" Nathan snickered, leaning against the couch as he picked up his gaming controller.

He seemed unfazed by my glare, unpausing his racing game and driving over a mountain of barrels before turning the wrong way down a one way street.

"Trouble?" Gabriel turned to me, looking adorably confused.

"It was me," I confessed gravely after a moment of hesitation, hanging my head in shame. "I did it."

"You did...that?" Gabriel asked doubtfully, and I looked up to see him motioning towards the other boys. "It's okay, Trouble. You can stop covering for them; now what really happened?"

"I did it," I frowned, feeling a spark of annoyance. Did Gabriel think I wasn't physically capable of inflicting injuries on North and Silas, or did he think I hadn't done it because I lacked the motive? "It was an accident, but it was me."

"Okay, Trouble," Gabriel's lip twitched dangerously before he barked out a laugh. "Sure. Sure you did."

"I did!" I admitted hotly, my fists clenching. I was almost ready to give him a bump on the head, too. "I knocked North out!"

Gabriel doubled over with laughter, and I huffed an angry breath.

"Okay, Sang, stop!" Gabriel gasped through his laughter, wiping at both eyes as he looked up at me. "I'm not shitting you; I can't take anymore."

"Well, I'm not...shitting you, either!" I stuttered out, crossing my arms and trying not to fidget at how uncomfortable that felt coming out of my mouth. Gabriel's jaw dropped, frozen in shock and clutching his stomach as Nathan snorted a laugh.

"Well, fuck. You really aren't shitting me, are you?" Gabriel asked with a hint of awe, straightening up as his gaze trailed over to North again. "What'd you do? Hit him over the head with a frying pan?"

"Get me a frying pan, and I'll show you what I can do with it," I grumbled irritably, turning my back to Gabriel as I walked into the family room. Silas's grin shown at me like a beacon, and I shuffled over to sit between him and North on the couch.

"She seriously did this?" Gabriel asked again, looking at Silas for confirmation. I barely held in a growl as I glowered at him.

"You think North and I would allow anyone else to?" Silas asked rhetorically. "But she did have a little help. It was her and a baseball bat."

"And a baseball!" I added quickly. Silas was making it sound like I was some psycho attacking them with a weapon. "We were playing in the yard."

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense," Gabriel nodded thoughtfully, leaning in closer to get a look at Silas's bare shoulder. I wanted to do the same, but I wasn't sure how well I could pretend that my purpose for getting a closer look was because of his injury.

I'd never been a good liar.

"Seriously, it's fine. Aggele already cured us, anyways," Silas shrugged, sending me a wink as he waved Gabriel off.

"Cured you? What the hell are you talking about? I can still see the indent from the baseball's stitches in your skin, Silas," Gabriel huffed as he backed off and plopped down on the carpet.

"She kissed it better," Silas answered nonchalantly as he turned to face the TV, but I rolled my eyes at the smug smile dancing across his face.

"Well, no shit?" Gabriel commented curiously, giving me an inquiring look.

"Sean was just being silly," I protested, grabbing North's limp free hand and placing it in my lap. I started tracing his burly hands, appreciating the roughness of his skin against my fingers. "He was joking with us to make the boys feel better, and probably to calm me down."

"Definitely to calm you down," Silas agreed with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Fuck," North muttered testily beside me, his hand flexing in mine.

"North, are you okay?" I asked in concern, watching his eyes blink open as he winced.

"My head is throbbing like a motherfucker," North grunted, and my hands moved to help him as he eased up into a sitting position. "Sorry, Sang Baby, but I need to go sleep this off."

"Don't apologize; it's my fault," I bit my lip, turning towards Nathan before looking back at North. "Do you want to stay in Nathan's room? Or you can stay on the couch, and we can give you some peace and quiet."

"Nah, baby, I should head home," North answered, rubbing both hands down his tired face.

"Oh," I responded, trying to hide my disappointment.

"I'll drive you home, North," Silas said, patting my thigh before he stood up and walked to stand in front of North. "And at least now we know that _aggele mou_ cheats at baseball, too."

"I didn't cheat!" I protested, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Distracting us with your pretty ass, knocking out a spectator, and hitting the shoulder of my throwing arm, all in one go," Silas listed thoughtfully before smiling down at me. "Sounds like cheating to me."

"Woah, what's this I hear about Trouble's ass?" Gabriel cut in over Nathan's laughter.

"I'll see you in homeroom tomorrow," North promised, stiffly leaning over and placing a soft kiss on my cheek. I leaned forward, pecking his own cheek before Silas hauled him off the couch. "Call me if you need me."

"You too," I answered, squeezing my hands between my thighs and the couch because I wasn't sure what to do with them now.

"Hands off, Silas!" North grunted, batting him away as Silas tried to place North's arm over his shoulders. "I've got a bump on my head, but my legs work just fine. I'm not invalid."

"Poor little North," Gabriel sang teasingly from the ground. "Trying to look brave and strong for his girlfriend."

"That's not what I'm...forget it," North sighed, heading out of the room and disappearing around the corner while my heart skipped a few beats at the word _girlfriend_. Silas offered another goodbye before rounding the corner after him.

"You guys feel like a movie?" Nathan asked as he drove his race car through a stack of crates and ran over a fire hydrant. He'd claimed before that this was a shortcut, but I wasn't sure if I believed him.

"Sure," I agreed easily. As far as I knew, people didn't generally get injured while watching movies.

"Yeah, let me just grab a snack first," Gabriel nodded, popping off the floor and heading into the kitchen as Nate went over to the movie collection.

"Preferences, Sang?"

"Umm, nothing bloody, please," I cringed, fluffing up a pillow and leaning against the couch's arm.

"So easy to please," Nathan teased, pulling out a DVD case. "I think you'll like this one. This guy moves into a new house, and his neighbor-"

"Ouch!" Gabriel yelped from the other room before I saw an orange blur come swinging around the corner. "Trouble!"

"Gabriel?" I asked in confusion, getting to my feet when he stopped in front of me. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I was just minding my own business and chopping an onion," Gabriel shook his head, gesturing wildly with his arms before pointing his thumb out at me. "And the knife must've slipped, because I cut myself!"

"You did?" I gasped, reaching out to hold his hand in front of me. I leaned closer, seeing a small red line on his thumb but thankfully there was no blood coming out. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

"I think I'll live," Gabriel offered bravely, his voice strong as he stepped closer. "It stings fucking bad, though. I just wish there was something to make me feel better."

"Come off it, Gabe," Nathan burst out laughing, placing the DVD in the player before coming towards us. He leaned over Gabriel's shoulder to get a look at his hand before smirking at me. "I bet you twenty bucks there's no onion, and that 'cut' came from a piece of paper."

I frowned at Nathan, ready to tell him off for belittling Gabriel's injury, but then Gabriel's ears and neck blossomed with red and I had to stop my jaw from falling.

"You lied?" I exclaimed in surprise. "You pretended to hurt yourself? To make me worried?"

"Oy, you fucker!" Gabriel shot at Nathan before turning to me with a pout. "It still hurts, Trouble, and you haven't kissed it yet."

He held his thumb out in offering, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to smile or sigh.

But one thing I knew for sure was that if he moved his thumb any closer to my mouth, I was going to bite it.

"I'm waiting, Trouble," Gabriel sang, wiggling his finger in front of me.

"You're such a moron, Gabe," Nathan snorted, chopping him on the head as he walked passed.

"Ow!" Gabriel yelped, rubbing at his scalp before turning to me with a pout. "You'll need to kiss that, too."

Using the baseball bat as a weapon didn't seem like such a crazy idea anymore.

And a frying pan sounded like a good investment.

 **A/N: So, yes, this was a filler chapter. I have the entire next week planned out, and I'm just so excited to get to certain days/chapters, that I flew through this one in order to get there...**

 **I tried to have Sang switch from Dr. Sean to Sean without too much of a fuss this chapter. I don't trust my fingers to call him Dr. Sean in this one and Sean in Eleven. It also felt incredibly weird to have her call him "Dr. Sean" while they're kissing. Couldn't do it.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! It makes my day. Seriously.**


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